Owl's Get First Road Victory Against WPI

Marlboro, MA --- The Westfield State Owls traveled to Central Mass on Friday night to take on WPI. The Owls came out strong in the first period and grabbed a 1-0 lead when Anthony Hardy scored the game's first goal only 2 1/2 minutes into the game. Greg Rice and Ryan Leonard would pick up the assists on the goal. The Rams would score the next two goals to take the lead heading into the final minutes of the period. Tommy Bruso would tie the game up with 1:09 remaining in the first period when Corey Tobin fed him a long pass to send the Owl's captain all alone on a breakaway.

The Owls received a lucky bounce only 33 seconds into the second period when Joey Green's centering pass deflected off a WPI defenseman and into the back of the net for a 3-2 Owls lead. The lead would last until midway through the second period when Nick Martin beat Owl's netminder Nick Franco to tie the game at 3-3. The teams would go into the locker rooms tied at 3.

In the third, the Owls would take the lead when Anthony Hardy scored his second goal of the night when he fired a shot from the slot that beat Ram's goaltender Jeremy Lowery. Ryan Laughlin would get the insurance goal for Westfield with just under 4 minutes remaining and the Owls improved their winning streak to 3 games.

The Owls are home on Saturday against Bates College at 5 pm. It will be a battle for first place in NECHA's American Conference.

Key Stats:

Goals: Hardy (3,4), Bruso (8), Green (2), Laughlin (1)
Goalie: Franco (3-0-0)
Power Play: 0 for 1 (0%)
Penalty Kill: 3 for 3 (100%)