Vikings Upset Falcons in MASCAC Quarterfinals

Fitchburg, Mass.  – Erik Larsson (Lake Tahoe, Calif.) notched a goal and two assists as #6 Salem State upset #3 seed Fitchburg State, 6-2 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) quarterfinal action on Saturday afternoon at the Wallace Civic Center. The Vikings advance to take on #2 Worcester State on Tuesday. It is the second year in a row Salem State advanced as the sixth seed. The Vikings up their record to 8-18, while the Falcons end their season 12-11-3.

Junior Cole Archambeault (Leominster, Mass.) slid a soft pass across the front of the net to a wide-open Toivo Kramer (New York, NY), who deposited his fifth goal of the season past Vikings' netminder Aaron Mercer (Corner Brook, Newfoundland) to give the Green and Gold a 1-0 lead at the 8:23 mark. 

With just six ticks left in the first period, Erik Larsson (Lake Tahoe, Calif.) one-timed his sixteenth goal of the season past freshman Max Macchioni (North Kingstown, RI) to knot the score at 1-1.

Sophomore Jack Johansen (Milford, NH) tallied his first collegiate goal early in the second period to forge the Falcons ahead 2-1. Salem notched the equalizer with a 5-on-3 power-play goal from junior David Cicak (Cranford, NJ) at 16:03 of the frame. 

The Vikings took the lead (3-2) when senior Connor Wooley (Poghquag, NY) found classmate Matt Yianacopolus (Wakefield, Mass.) open in front of the Falcons net for his sixth goal of the season. Less than two minutes later Wooley added an unassisted goal to push the advantage to 4-2.

Keagan O'Donoghue (Frisco, Texas) and Landyn Greatorex (Reading, Mass.) added insurance goals in the third to help Salem State skate away with a 6-2 victory.

Mercer had 23 stops, for the win while Max Macchioni finished with 24 saves in 53 minutes of action. Salem State held the advantage in shots 33-25.

(Courtesy Fitchburg State Sports Information)