BOXSCORE
FREDONIA, N.Y. –
Will McLaughlin scored two goals to lead Fredonia State over Johnson and Wales, 5-2, in the final game of the 2011 semester.
Bryan Ross,
Declan Gunovski, and
Mike Muhs had the other Blue Devil goal while goaltender
Mark Friesen made 31 saves.
The Blue Devils closed out the year with a 6-4-3 record. Their season results with a home game Jan. 10 vs. Elmira.
Johnson and Wales fell to 6-3-1. The Wildcats close out the first half of their season at home Wedneday vs. Southern New Hampshire.
The Blue Devils entered the game having killed 22 straight penalties. They were in the midst of killing No. 23 early in the first period when an opportunity presented itself in the form of a Johnson and Wales turnover.
Alex Perkins picked up a loose puck just inside the blue line, circled behind the net, and found McLaughlin alone in the slot. McLaughlin's shot – his team's first of the game – resulted in his first goal of the season and gave the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead.
It was also Fredonia State's first short-handed goal of 2011-12.
McLaughlin's second goal came on a power play at 8:59 of the second period. Stationed to the left of the cage, he received a pass from Jung and jammed the puck into the short side.
The Wildcats cut their deficit in half and nearly tied the game midway through the period.
First, Ian DePasquale received a long lead pass from Danny Kaufmann along the right boards. DePasquale carried the puck into the offensive zone and fired a rising shot into Friesen's midsection. The puck deflected off the goalkeeper and into the corner of the net.
A short while later, Matt Anderson fired a quick rising shot from the left circle. Friesen kept the puck from sailing over his left shoulder with a quick snap of his glove hand.
Before the second period was over, the Blue Devils regained their two-goal lead. With several players from both teams crowded around the net, Ross got his stick on a loose puck and the puck ended up in the net. The officials conferred and determined at no one had interfered with the Johnson and Wales goaltender.
For Ross, it was his seventh goal of the season and his team-leading 21st point.
The third period began and ended well for the Blue Devils.
Gunovski scored at 4:39 when he stood alongside the left post and tapped in a crossing a pass by Perkins. It was Gunovski's first goal as a collegian.
Muhs completed the scoring with his third goal of the season at 19:17 on a similar play to the Gunovski goal, only that it went from left to right -- a pass out of the left corner by
Chris Jung to Muhs, who was left alone at the right post.
In between, Dominic Recchia scored a short-handed goal for the Wildcats.
The Blue Devils were 1 of 8 on the power play and 3 of 3 on the penalty kill. They have killed off 25 straight penalties, including 12 over the weekend against the Wildcats.
