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PURPLE KNIGHTS, SALEM STATE SKATE TO 4-4 TIE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                               FOR MORE INFORMATION
January 7, 2005                                                                                  Contact: Seth Cole
                                                                                                         Phone: (802) 654-2537

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Junior Alex Watts’ (Cheshire, Conn./Berkshire School) power play goal with 2:42 left in regulation lifted Saint Michael’s College to a 4-4 tie versus Salem State College in ECAC East men’s ice hockey action on Friday at Cairns Arena.

For the Purple Knights, senior assistant captain Chris Zimmermann (Montreal, Quebec/Tabor Academy) scored twice, while sophomore Jared Silver (Montreal, Quebec/Tabor Academy) also lit the lamp. Senior captain Matt Anctil (Wolfeboro, N.H./Exeter) added a pair of assists, while sophomore Derek Jackson (Clinton, N.Y./Gunnery School) turned back 44 shots as Saint Michael’s (5-4-1, 2-3-1 ECAC East) improved to 6-1-3 in its last 10 overtime decisions.

For the Vikings, senior Anthony Inverno (Stoneham, Mass.) netted two goals, while twin brother Gordon Inverno (Stoneham, Mass.) added a goal and an assist. Junior Jim Cashins (Quincy, Mass.) recorded a shorthanded goal, and sophomore Kevin Adam (Peabody, Mass.) stopped 31 shots for Salem State (7-4-1, 2-3-1 ECAC East).

Saint Michael’s opened the scoring with a pair of even-strength goals late in an evenly-played first period. Silver gave the Purple Knights a 1-0 lead 13 minutes in with his team-leading seventh goal, and less than five minutes later, Zimmermann notched his fifth goal of the season off of the left post. Jackson made the two-goal margin hold up by stopping all 14 shots he faced in the period.

The Vikings cut their deficit in half just 39 seconds into a penalty-filled second frame, as Anthony Inverno stuffed a rebound past Jackson. Zimmermann restored the Purple Knights’ two-goal lead five minutes later, as he redirected a cross-ice pass from Anctil for the score.

Salem State then relied on strong special teams play to even the score. At 10:37 of the period, Anthony Inverno netted his second goal of the game, a 5-on-3 marker, to cut Saint Michael’s lead to 3-2. Four minutes later, Cashins’ shorthanded wrister beat Jackson glove-side for his eighth goal of the season and a 3-3 game after two periods.

The visitors took their first lead of the contest with 8:22 remaining, as Gordon Inverno potted the Vikings’ second power play goal of the game. That set the stage for Watts, who tied Silver for the team lead with his seventh goal of the year.

In overtime, Cashins had the best chance for a score, but his power play shot with 1:35 remaining hit the right post.

Both teams return to action on Saturday with 3 p.m. league contests. Saint Michael’s plays the second of its season-high four-game homestand versus the University of Southern Maine, while Salem State visits fifth-ranked Norwich University.

GAME SUMMARY
Salem State 0 3 1 0 --4
Saint Michael’s 2 1 1 0 --4

First period: Scoring: 1. SMC, Silver (Girouard, Perez), 13:01. 2. SMC, Zimmermann (Mullins, Anctil), 17:53. Penalties: Thurston, SMC (interference), 4:36; Rousseau, SMC (hooking), 13:30.

Second period: Scoring: 3. SAL, A. Inverno (Ferguson, Knight), :39. 4. SMC, Zimmermann (Anctil, N. Dancey), 5:38. 5. SAL, A. Inverno (O’Neill, Fernandez), 10:57 (pp). 6. SAL, Cashins (G. Inverno), 14:55 (sh). Penalties: S. Williams, SMC (5-min. elbowing), 2:51; Fernandez, SAL (obstruction-hooking), 4:57; O’Neill, SAL (tripping), 7:29; Caron, SMC (slashing), 9:12; Mullins, SMC (obstruction-tripping), 10:07; Wenzel, SAL (hooking), 11:43; SAL (too many men, served by Robinson), 13:12; Cartier, SAL (10-min. misconduct), 14:37; Ferguson, SAL (hitting from behind), 15:40; Silver, SMC (hooking), 18:20; O’Neill, SAL (hitting after whistle), 19:49.

Third period: Scoring: 7. SAL, G. Inverno (Wenzel, Robinson), 11:38 (pp). 8. SMC, Watts (Towne, Thurston), 17:18 (pp). Penalties: Zimmermann, SMC (interference), 3:14; Fernandez (hitting after the whistle), 3:14; Anctil, SMC (high sticking), 5:36; Fernandez, SAL (tripping), 8:16; N. Dancey, SMC (obstruction-tripping), 10:17; Silver, SMC (elbowing and 10-min. misconduct), 14:41; Madeiros, SAL (charging), 15:37.

Overtime: Scoring: Penalties: Mullins, SMC (cross-checking), 2:33.

Shots: SAL (14 – 20 – 11 – 3 -- 48), SMC (14 – 8 – 12 – 1 -- 35).

Saves: SAL, Adam (35 shots, 31 saves); SMC, Jackson (48 shots, 44 saves).

For complete box score, click here.

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For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002