For Immediate Release
Contact Dave Geringer, Sports Information Director, (508) 990-9651  [log in to unmask]
Wednesday, February 28, 2007				 

UMASS DARTMOUTH DEFEATS FITCHBURG STATE, 7-3

NEW BEDFORD, MA–The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s hockey team exploded for three goals during a span of just over three minutes in the second period and went on to a 7-3 victory over Fitchburg State in an Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast semi-final playoff game at the Stephen Hetland Memorial Arena Wednesday evening.

The Corsairs scored a shorthanded goal and twice at even strength to open up a three-goal barely seven minutes into the second period. Junior forward Jeff Grant (Burlington, MA/Austin Prep) scored an unassisted, shorthanded goal on a breakaway at 3:53; then scored on a wrist shot from the circle to the right of FSC goaltender Devan McConnell at 6:38. Senior forward Kyle McCullough (Danvers, MA/Boston Jr. Blackhawks) and junior defenseman Jon Finn (Warwick, RI/Boston Harborwolves) assisted on the latter goal. Senior forward Jim Foley (Brockton, MA/Catholic Memorial HS) made it 4-1 when he re-directed home McCullough’s pass from right in front of the net at 7:05.
Grant had given the Corsairs a 1-0 lead when he scored from point blank range at 7:16 of the first period. McCullough and Foley drew assists. Ryan Moore drew the Falcons even when he fired home the rebound of a blocked shot just 1:45 into the second period. Matt Arsenault scored for Fitchburg State to make it 4-2 at 15:15 of the second period after the Falcons won a face-off deep in the Corsair end.

Freshman defenseman Graeme Bourne (Redlands, CA/Campbell River Storm) was whistled for a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct at 16:09, setting up FSC with an extra man for five minutes. But UMass Dartmouth killed the penalty, and sophomore forward Nick Paquin (Warwick, RI/Winchendon Academy) shoveled a rebound past McConnell to make it 5-2 with the Corsairs up a man at 11:10 of the third period. Foley scored for UMD at 15:07 of the third period, and Mike Dryer connected for the Falcons at 15:48.
“The first part of the second period, when we scored three quick goals, and the end of the period, when we killed off a five minute power play, were the key periods of the game,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach John Rolli. “Going from 1-1 to 4-1 was huge. Jeff Grant has as quick a stick as anyone, that’s why he leads the league in scoring. Killing off that penalty was very important. We played good defense, and they didn’t have that many shots during the man advantage.”
Grant finished with three goals and one assist, McCullough had four assists, and Foley had a pair of goals and one assist. 
The Corsairs out shot FSC, 34-19. Sophomore goaltender Jeff Green (Medway, MA/Valley Jr. Warriors) made 16 saves for UMass Dartmouth, while McConnell made 27 saves for the Falcons.
With the victory, the Corsairs improved to 24-2-1 and advanced to the championship game of the ECAC Northeast playoffs, while Fitchburg State fell to 14-10-3 and was eliminated. The Corsairs will host the championship game Saturday at 4:30 p.m. against Wentworth at the Hetland Memorial Arena. Wentworth defeated Curry, 4-3, in the other semi-final. The winner of Saturday’s game will earn the ECAC Northeast’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

UMASS DARTMOUTH HOCKEY

 
 Fitchburg State (14-10-3) vs. UMass Dartmouth (24-2-1)
 Date: Feb 28, 2007  Location: New Bedford, MA       Arena: Hetland Ice Arena
 Attendance:1141   Start time:7:30 pm   End time:9:39 pm   Total time:2:09
 Goals by Period       1  2  3  Tot
 ----------------------------------
 Fitchburg State.....  0  2  1 -  3
 UMass Dartmouth.....  1  3  3 -  7

   1st period - 1, UMDM, Jeff Grant/22 (Kyle McCullough/27, Jim
Foley/14) 7:16. Penalties - Jason Ledo, FITM (holding) 17:52.

   2nd period - 2, FITM, Ryan Moore/23 (Mike Dryer/26, Jason Ledo/16)
1:45. 3, UMDM, Jeff Grant/23 3:53 (sh). 4, UMDM, Jeff Grant/24 (Kyle
McCullough/28, Jon Finn/3) 6:38. 5, UMDM, Jim Foley/17 (Kyle
McCullough/29) 7:05. 6, FITM, Matt Arsenault/9 (Greg Mailloux/9)
15:15. 8, UMDM, Peter Lindner/12 (Ray Kirby/11, Tyler Vrolyk/9) 11:10
(pp). Penalties - Graeme Bourne, UMDM (cross-checking) 2:45; Mike
Dryer, FITM (roughing) 11:38; Graeme Bourne, UMDM (hitting from
behind) 16:09; Graeme Bourne, UMDM (game misconduct) 16:09.

   3rd period - 7, UMDM, Nick Paquin/8 (Chris Shore/7, Matt Serino/6)
1:55. 9, UMDM, Jim Foley/17 (Kyle McCullough/30, Jeff Grant/29) 14:35.
10, FITM, Mike Dryer/13 (Jason Ledo/17, Ryan Moore/19) 15:48 (pp).
Penalties - Andrew Hutton, FITM (slashing) 8:05; Paul Carr, UMDM
(roughing) 8:05; Ross Goff, FITM (tripping) 9:27; Chad Larkowski, FITM
(roughing) 12:04; Chad Larkowski, FITM (10-minute misconduct) 12:04;
Chris Shore, UMDM (roughing) 12:04; Chris Shore, UMDM (10-minute
misconduct) 12:04; Jon Finn, UMDM (cross-checking) 15:07; Ryan Moore,
FITM (roughing) 16:26; Ray Kirby, UMDM (charging) 16:26.

   Shots on goal - FITM 5-7-7 19; UMDM 10-10-14 34.

   Power plays - FITM 1 of 3; UMDM 1 of 3.

   Penalties - FITM 7 (22 min); UMDM 8 (35 min).

   Goalies - FITM, Devan McConnell 12-10-3 (60:00 minutes, 34 shots-27
saves); UMDM, Jeff Green 24-2-1 (60:00, 19-16).

   A-1141  T-2:09
 
 ECAC Northeast semi-final playoff game