KEENE, N.H. – Hunter Dunn scored two shorthanded goals, the last of which with 2:01 remaining to restore a two-goal lead in an eventual 4-2 win as Fitchburg State University foiled a comeback bid from the Keene State College men's ice hockey team on Martin Luther King Monday afternoon at Keene Ice.

The Falcons (8-7-0) snapped a six-game losing streak that began when they lost 4-0 at home to KSC (7-9-1) in early December, as three goals in the opening 10:10 of the second period ultimately proved to be enough.  Fitchburg carried that 3-0 lead into the third period, but saw it sliced to just 3-2 with eight minutes to go as the Owls dominated the final 20 minutes – at one point outshooting FSU 19-6 in total shots in the period.  KSC opened the scoring with a little over 16 minutes left as the capitalized on a power play when leading scorer Marcus Chrisafideis rushed up the left side and scored a near no-angle goal on Alexander Falkenhagen.  It was the sophomore and Westfield State University transfer's 14th tally on the season and continued the strong production from the Owls' top line, which entered the day with a combined 25 goals and 24 assists.
Michael Boschetto added his first career tally at 11:42 of the third, taking a back pass from Fitchburg's Trenton Skaggs and immediately ripping a top shelf goal from near the left faceoff dot to make it a one-goal game.  Falkenhagen had been nearly impenetrable to that point, piling up 28 saves over the opening two periods including 19 stops in the second period.  Three of those came in a 24 second span after Nikas Millhorn gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead 3:37 into the stanza, and four others came in a 52 second span after Jack Saavedra made it 2-0 at 5:25.

From there, it was a pair of critical shorthanded goals that proved to be the difference in the game.  With Christian Halbig off for slashing on what might have been a breakaway chance by Joe Fontaine, it was a similar chance for the Falcons that made it 3-0.  After the Owls turned the puck over as they entered the zone, Jeremy Maillet corralled it and flicked a pass past the KSC defenders to send Hunter Dunn in alone on Will Slohm and he scored a stick side goal.  Falkenhagen then made nine stops to keep it a three-goal game into the third.

The Owls got Chrisafideis' goal 3:39 into the final period and were all over the Falcons for much of the period.  Isaiah McKinney was called for slashing with 3:38 to go to give KSC a redeeming chance on the power play, but it was déjà vu as after Fitchburg blocked two Owl shots, Dunn again was in alone on Slohm and made it 4-2 with two minutes to go.

KSC finished 1-for-4 on the power play, but surrendered two shorthanded goals.  The Falcons were 0-for-2.

Falkenhagen, who had 24 saves in the loss to KSC in December, finished with 26 this time.  Fitchburg had allowed seven goals in consecutive games, losing to Anna Maria College 7-6 in overtime and Westfield State University 7-1 in their last action on Saturday.  Prior to that, they lost 3-2 in overtime at Plymouth State University.
Slohm stopped 26 shots for the Owls in his fourth start.

Keene State returns to action this Friday (January 24) when they travel to the Buffalo Riverworks for a unique outdoor game against Buffalo State University (10-6-0, 5-1-0 SUNYAC).  Puck drop is at 5:00 p.m.  Fitchburg State visits Rivier University (5-9-1, 1-6-1) for a MASCAC contest on Thursday (January 23) at 7:50 p.m.