By Izabela Gage
Sports Editor
The Framingham State men’s ice hockey team dropped a tough conference matchup to the Fitchburg State Falcons on Feb. 17.
This 7-1 loss brings their conference record to 1-13-2 and their overall record to 2-18-3.
Freshman Devin Shepherd said, “Even though it was not the outcome we were all hoping for, there were still bright spots in between. That was my first time playing Fitchburg, a top team in the MASCAC, so I think it was great to just experience the fast, high-end hockey.”
The puck dropped on center ice at the start of the game, with Captain Ashton Collazo, a senior, winning the faceoff and sending it back to junior Jake Barcelou. Barcelou then shot it toward sophomore Brady Rossbach, who was waiting in the offensive zone.
The Rams attempted to remain in the offensive zone, but lost possession of the puck to Fitchburg’s Matteo Orme Lynch.
The Falcons kept their passes direct, and after 14 seconds, Christian Halbig was able to find an opening in the Rams’ defense to slap-shot the puck from the blue line toward sophomore Owen Swanbon. The shot was stopped by Swanbon.
Junior Bobby Bernier tallied the first shot on goal for Framingham, which was saved by Fitchburg’s goaltender Freddy Soderberg’s glove.
The Falcons won a faceoff and took the puck out to the blue line before Nick Millhorn saw a gap and shot the puck right outside of Swanbon’s reach into the right side of the net. This goal started the dominant first period for the Falcons.
Back on center ice, Fitchburg won the next faceoff and took another shot on goal, but it was blocked by Shepherd.
Junior Jerry Duckett took control of the puck, skated it down into the offensive zone, and attempted to get it into the crease but was blocked by a forward on the Falcons. Duckett went in for the rebound, but could not get it past Soderberg’s pads.
Fitchburg’s Tovio Kramer skated through the middle of the ice with the puck and took a shot at the net, but Swanbon made an impressive save by deflecting the puck off his blocking glove.
Senior Walker Smith and sophomore Scott Bugarin tallied a shot on goal each, which were both saved by Soderberg.
Assistant Captain Devante Dixon, a senior, passed the puck through the defensive zone to freshman Zach Pappas, who fired it to the goal, but Fitchburg’s Oliver Cookson blocked the shot before it could enter the goal crease.
Hunter Dunn, a forward on the Falcons, faked out Swanbon, making him sprawl out to the left side of the net before finding a small slot on the right to score a goal.
Sophomore Brady Rossbach attempted to net the Rams’ first goal of the game, but couldn’t break through Soderberg’s defense.
The Falcons tried to score again, but Swanbon used his blocker glove to send the puck flying in the air. Fitchburg’s Elowan Orme Lynch took the rebound and found the back of the net to bring the score to 3-0 in favor of the Falcons.
The Rams subbed in sophomore goaltender Alex Timmons for Swanbon with 8:03 left in the first.
Timmons made three huge saves in net over the next 2 minutes, just before Smith was put in the box for roughing.
Elowan Orme Lynch remained assertive after tallying his first goal and took another shot, which was blocked by Assistant Captain Kaleb Kinskey, a graduate student.
With the Falcons on the power play, forward Marcus Macchioni was right up against the goal crease and slipped the puck in between Timmons’ pads, wrapping up the period 4-0.
In the first 10 seconds of the second period, Collazo skated with the puck into the offensive zone and took a shot on goal, but could not find an opening.
Timmons made a glove save on Fitchburg’s next attempt to tally their fifth goal.
Dixon came out aggressively on the ice, sending the puck flying toward the goal before it was cut off by Halbig. Dixon didn’t let up and tried to tip the puck in for the rebound, but the shot was saved by Soderberg.
Bernier tallied two back-to-back shots on goal, but Soderberg remained a strong force in the net.
Bugarin and Duckett both tried to find the back of the net, but their attempts were blocked by defenders on the Falcons.
The Rams tallied three more shots on goal, but Soderberg stayed persistent and saved all three.
Shepherd gained control of the puck in the offensive zone and passed it off to Dixon, who then shot the puck straight to the top shelf above Soderberg’s right shoulder.
Fitchburg deepened the deficit less than a minute later, with Kramer wrapping around the back of the net to sneak the puck in behind Timmons, ending the second period 5-1.
A minute and 56 seconds into the third, senior Tyler Westfall was put in the penalty box for high sticking, giving the Falcons the upper hand for 2 minutes.
The Falcons netted the puck once again 19 seconds later on the power play.
Back on even strength, Fitchburg used their sixth goal as momentum to then score once again just 15 seconds later.
Both teams remained determined for the rest of the last period, with Timmons making seven more saves. The Rams took another eight shots on goal before the end, all saved by Soderberg.
The buzzer sounded after one last shot on goal by Fitchburg’s Alexandre Bauvais, which was blocked by Pappas.
The final score was 7-1 in favor of the Falcons.
Swanbon saved 7 shots out of 10 and Timmons saved 19 out of 23.
The Falcons tallied 33 shots on goal, outshooting the Rams by 5, who tallied 28.
Collazo said, “We need to crash the net and get more traffic. We put down good shots initially but it’s the follow-up we lack and need to capitalize on.” He added the team knows what needs to be done, but “it’s just a matter of execution, which obviously isn’t easy.” Shepherd said the team is working on consistently “shooting the puck and trusting ourselves when we have the opportunity.” The Rams lost to the Worcester State Lancers 3-1 in their last home game Feb. 20. This loss brings their conference record to 1-14-2 and their overall record to 2-19-3. Shepherd said, “This first season, as disappointing as our record turned out, was a great learning experience for myself and the team as a whole. I feel like I definitely learned how hard it is to play at this level and just how committed you must be to succeed.” He added, “We just want to end the season on a high note and take that momentum into next season.” The Rams travel to compete against the MCLA Trailblazers Feb. 22 for their last regular season game. As a graduating senior, Collazo said, “I hope to leave behind a culture of good work ethic and determination to improve each day.” He added he hopes the hard work the team puts in over the summer and during pre-season continues after he graduates because “despite our record, these things have elevated our program since my freshman year.” He said when he graduates, he hopes his team knows he was always working hard and never took days off. “It isn’t easy day to day every time, but showing up to the rink is a privilege I never took for granted.” Shepherd said, “The upperclassmen have shown the younger guys how to be student-athletes and manage their time. They also have helped teach me what hockey and life is like here at Framingham.”
