With the playoffs looming, each game has more importance as points become more meaningful. <\/p>\n
One team that realizes this is the Fitchburg State Falcons, currently in eighth place, only four points out of fourth place, but also with two teams nipping at their skates.<\/p>\n
With four points in their last four games, they now have a total of 11 in the conference, and coach Dean Fuller knows that, for now, that would merit a post-season berth. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in the playoff hunt,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Fuller said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re having a little problem putting the puck in the net, but we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve played everybody tough, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had a lot of good wins, and I guess we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll call them some good ties and some bad ties. We have to slug it out every night.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
One recent tie in which a point was lost came against Worcester State on Jan. 22. The Falcons led 5-2 going into the third period, but allowed three unanswered goals to the Lancers, and the game ended, 5-5, after a scoreless overtime. <\/p>\n
Perhaps an example of a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153good tie\u00e2\u20ac\u009d occurred more recently, when Fitchburg State battled UMass-Dartmouth to a 2-2 draw. Despite the fact they out-shot UMD 51-32, including eight shots on goal in overtime, Fitchburg State couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t muster the extra point.<\/p>\n
So far, Fuller gives much of the praise to his goalies. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve really gotten some solid play from our goaltending tandem of Bobby Vorse and Bobby Leiser. Both kids have played very well. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re looking for somebody really to take control of the situation and step up to be a true number one, but both kids have played like number one\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s during the course of the season, so I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m happy with both of them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n
Both Vorse and Leiser have played in 10 games each. Vorse, a sophomore out of Leominster, MA, has a 4-2-3 record with a 2.19 goals against average and a .924 save percentage, which is second best in the conference. Meanwhile, Leiser, a freshman from New York, is 3-5-1, with a 3.73 GAA and an .887 save pct.<\/p>\n
Leading the way offensively is junior forward Andrew Hutton, and his coach is thrilled with his output. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hutton\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s really having a real big year for us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Fuller. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s leading the team in goals [13] and points [22] so that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been huge for us for him to step up. We lost him last year, three quarters of the way through the season, with a broken wrist, so it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s good to have him back and healthy.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Of Hutton\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 13 goals, more than half (seven) of them have come on the power play.<\/p>\n
Also atop the scoring for Fitchburg State is sophomore Chris Riggs, who has seven goals and a team leading 13 assists. A couple of seniors are also producing on the offense. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bob Kaloustian and Matt Arsenault are not quite having the point production that they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had in the past, but are still giving us solid shifts out there,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Fuller stated. <\/p>\n
Kaloustian has 5-10-15, and Arsenault is right behind at 6-8-14. Both have played in all 19 games.<\/p>\n
Two players have also been having outstanding rookie campaigns, and their coach couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be more pleased:<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kris Threlkeld and Thomas McAleer are both very good freshmen. Good speed, good hockey sense. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been nice to have them with us this year.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n
Threlkeld centers the third line, and also sees action on the second power-play unit. He has five goals and seven assists so far; McAleer is the left winger on the second line, and has four goals and six assists. He also sees duty on the power play.<\/p>\n
One key loss the Falcons recently suffered was when sophomore forward John Goffredo went down with a season ending ankle injury. As a freshman last year, Goffredo was tied for second in team scoring, and led the squad with six power-play goals. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153To have him out definitely hurts, Fuller lamented.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
To pick up the slack on offense, Fuller knows others will have to pick up the pace, and he is seeing one player do so already. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153One kid who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s stepped up and played very well in the second semester, especially over the last four or five games, is Bryan Canter. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a freshman, and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s had three goals in the last two games.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n
Hopefully for the Falcons, Canter, a native of Alaska, will keep his scoring streak going.<\/p>\n
Fuller was quick to also point out that his defense has been held steady thanks to the play of senior Wayne Bonkowski, and sophomores Erik Trahan and Billy Pescosolido.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been doing a great job for us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he concluded.<\/p>\n
Fuller\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 25 years of experience has taught him that nothing comes easy in this league when it comes to the post-season:<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve played all of the division leaders such as Nichols and Curry, and we lost to them by a goal. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got good team speed, I think we can play with anybody in the league. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m looking forward to it. I think it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a real toss-up who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to win this thing when it comes playoff time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n