LaBreck scores twice for Ravens

Box Score

BOSTON (November 25, 2008) – Junior forward Brian Smusz (Daleville, Va./Laconia) scored his second goal of the game 2:15 into overtime on Tuesday afternoon to lead Suffolk to a 6-5, overtime victory over the Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team in ECAC Northeast Conference play at Walter Brown Arena. Junior forward Phil LaBreck (Thornton, N.H./John Stark Regional) scored a pair of goals and three players collected two points apiece in defeat for Franklin Pierce.

Smusz opened the scoring for Suffolk just 2:26 into the contest with his first goal of the season on assists from junior forward Mike Mondello (Revere, Mass./St. Mary’s) and freshman defenseman J. Andrew Wein (Barnegat, N.J./Syracuse (EJHL)). The Rams would make it 2-0 less than two minutes later when junior forward Niles Moore (Columbus, Ohio/Bay State) picked up his first of the season from senior forward Kyle Cook (Chino Hills, Calif./Ayala) and senior defenseman Mitch Sabo (Bell Canyon, Calif./Lawrence) on the power play at the 4:11 mark. Franklin Pierce would cut the lead in half before the intermission when freshman forward Pat Shortt (North Branford, Conn./Southern Conn. Stars) scored his first of the season, unassisted, with 1:44 remaining in the opening stanza.

The Ravens quickly tied the game at 2-2 just 1:37 into the second frame as LaBreck netted his third of the season on the power play with assists awarded to freshman forward Anthony Chighisola (Whitman, Mass./Archbishop Williams) and junior defenseman Rob Perretta (Staten Island, N.Y./Stanstead College (Quebec)). Just after the midway point of the period, a pair of quick strikes turned a 2-2 tie into a 3-3 tie. First, sophomore forward Paul Weisser (Longmeadow, Mass./The Hill School) notched his first goal of the season to give Suffolk a 3-2 lead off feeds from freshman forward Joe Greene (Weymouth, Mass./The Winchendon School) and senior forward Michael Bourque (Waltham, Mass./Proctor Academy) at the 10:51 mark. Just 21 seconds later, LaBreck tallied his second of the period off a pass from freshman forward Bill Sullivan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins) to re-tie the contest. Suffolk took a 4-3 lead to the second intermission on the strength of a goal from Bourque at the 15:26 mark from Cook and senior forward John Rocchio (East Greenwich, R.I./Bridgewater).

The Rams stretched the lead to two goals at the 9:34 mark as Cook potted his third of the season while Rocchio and Bourque tallied assists. Franklin Pierce would erase the deficit with a pair of goals down the stretch to tie the game. First, junior forward Casey Goodell (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) found the net for his third goal of the season on the power play from senior forward Jeff Kasper (South Boston, Mass./Catholic Memorial) and Chighisola at the 12:42 mark. Just over three minutes later, at the 15:46 mark, graduate forward Ryan Strayer (Murfreesboro, Tenn./New England Jr. Coyotes) tied the game with his first score of the season on a feed from Shortt.

However, Suffolk would score in overtime to escape with the victory. Smusz potted his second of the game with assists going to junior defenseman Nick Davis (Pittsburgh, Pa./Northern Mass.) and Mondello at the 2:15 mark of the extra session.

Suffolk held a 33-29 advantage in shots on goal on the evening and went 1-for-2 on the power play. Franklin Pierce posted a 2-for-6 mark with the man advantage.

Sophomore goaltender Jeff Rose (Collinsville, Conn./Valley) made 24 saves in net for Suffolk to earn the victory. Freshman Ben Siok (Holden, Mass./St. John’s Shrewsbury) started in front of the Franklin Pierce cage and made 20 saves against 24 shots over the first two periods. Junior Jon Tuttle (Concord, N.H./Concord) played the third period and overtime, made seven saves on nine shots and took the loss.

The Ravens (1-4-1, 1-0-0 Northeast-10, 1-3-1 ECAC Northeast) return to the ice on Tuesday, Dec. 2, when they travel to Western New England for an ECAC Northeast Conference contest. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. at Smead Arena in Springfield, Mass. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Friday, Dec. 12 against Saint Michael’s at 7 p.m. Suffolk (1-5-0, 1-3-0 ECAC Northeast) returns to action on Nov. 29 at Skidmore.