(Game Box) 

         WINCHENDON, Mass. - Freshman Chris Zaremba (Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored two goals, including the game-winner, Monday night to lead Plymouth State University to a 4-3 victory over Franklin Pierce University in ECAC Northeast Conference men's ice hockey play at The Winchendon School Ice Arena.

         Junior goaltender Aaron Runner (Alpharetta, Ga.) made 34 saves in the Panther net to earn his first victory. Sophomore Sean Woodring (Rogue River, Ore.) scored twice for Franklin Pierce in defeat.

         The two squads traded goals in the first 5:35 of the game. PSU struck first at the 1:49 mark when Zaremba sent a floater from the high slot which found its way through traffic and into the net for his 12th of the season. Just under four minutes later, Woodring struck for his fourth of the season from between the circles on a feed from the left corner by senior Jeff Kasper (South Boston, Mass.).

         Plymouth State took a 2-1 lead on the power play at the 11:59 mark, when sophomore Sean Buckley (Sagamore, Mass.) stuffed home a rebound at the top of the crease for his 11th of the year.

         The Panthers extended their lead with two quick goals early in the second period.  Senior Chris Cantara (Pelham, N.H.) scored his third of the season at the 5:29 mark on a shorthanded breakaway, and Zaremba banged home a rebound just 1:13 later for a 4-1 Panther advantage.

         Franklin Pierce answered with two goals of its own in the next five minutes to create the 4-3 score. Junior Casey Goodell (Rochester, N.H.) pounced on a rebound for a power play goal at 8:37, and Woodring scored his second of the game at 11:19 with a shot through traffic from the left point.

         Neither team was able to score over the final 28 minutes of the game; PSU had two power play chances in that stretch but held off a pair of Raven 5-on-3 three opportunities. Franklin Pierce held a 37-31 advantage in shots on goal and went 1-for-8 on the power play, but gave up a shorthanded goal. Plymouth State finished 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

         Sophomore Matt McCarthy (Natick, Mass.) started between the pipes for Franklin Pierce and took the loss. Junior Jon Tuttle (Concord, N.H.) took over after the fourth PSU goal and stopped all 16 shots the rest of the way.

         The Ravens (5-17-2, 4-11-2 ECAC Northeast) return to the ice on Saturday in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championships against an opponent to be determined. Plymouth State concludes its season at 11-12-2 overall and 7-8-2 in the ECAC Northeast. 

(Courtesy of Franklin Pierce Sports Information) 

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