Vikings Win 6-3 Over Rams

SALEM, Mass. – Joe Smith (Holbrook, Mass.) and Erik Larsson (Lake Tahoe, Calif.) each scored a pair of goals and added assists as Salem State defeated Framingham State 6-3 on Tuesday evening at Rockett Arena. The Vikings improve to 7-10 and 5-8 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). The Rams slide to 2-15 and 1-11 in conference.

A turnover by the Vikings led to a goal by Jacob Garman (Anchorage, Alaska), who wristed a shot past goalie Aaron Mercer (Corner Brook, New Foundland) from the slot just 1:52 into the first.

The two teams combined for six goals in the second, which saw Salem State garner a one-goal lead at the end of the period. Peyton Hughes (Northridge, Calif.) tied the game for Salem State, knocking in a rebound at 6:07 of the middle period. Later, a two-on-one opportunity led to a shorthanded goal by Larsson, who gave the Vikings a 2-1 lead at the 9:48 mark. However, the Rams' Ethan Cervonayco (Chicopee, Mass.) redirected a shot past Mercer less than a minute later, tying the game at 2-all.

Smith scored Salem State's third goal of the period as Matt Yianacopolus (Wakefield, Mass.) found Smith streaking along the boards, setting up the senior's ninth goal of the year. Smith then added his second of the period before Walker Smith (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) added a power-play goal for Framingham State to draw the Rams to within a score at 4-3.

David Cicak 's (Crandford, N.J.) one-timer put Salem State on top, 5-3 6:59 into the third before Larsson added an insurance goal on the power-play, for his second of the game to give the Vikings a 6-3 lead.  Mercer shutout the Rams in the final period, making all 10 saves while finishing with 27 for the game. Blake Carlson (Clermont, Fla.) made 39 stops for the Rams in the third. Salem State outshot Framingham State 45-30 for the game.