Vikings Storm Past Owls, 6-2

WESTFIELD, Mass. -  Eric Larsson had two goals and an assists to lead Salem State to a 6-2 men's ice hockey win at Amelia Park Arena on Friday evening.

Salem State got on the board first with Peyton Hughes stuffing in a pass all alone on the back porch on the feed from Gunner Vignaroli with nine seconds left in the first period.  The Vikings outshot the Owls 20-7 in the opening stanza.

The Vikings tacked on three more goals in the second period, the first on a breakaway after winning a face off in the Owls offensive zone and Luke Pepin headmanned the puck up to Larsson for the goal at 2:33 of the second.

Salem added goals from Pepin and Larsson to close out the second period.

Westfield finally got on the board at the 7:19 mark of the third period with Christopher Miraldo picking up a loose puck at the blueline and stuffing it in to trim the lead to 5-1.

The Owls cut it to 5-2 with 8:46 to play as Gianluca Marini tallying after Cooper Board slid the puck through the crease off the rebound of Tomas Muller's shot.S 

Salem tacked on a late marker from Luke Day to cap the scoring.

Aaron Mercer made 29 saves for Salem.   Westfield got 25 saves from Kevin Chandler and 13 from Duncan Nichols-Delay.  The Vikings outshot the Owls 44-31 on the evening.

Salem levels its record at 1-1 on the season and starts the conference year 1-0.  Westfield is 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the MASCAC.

Westfield will be back in action next Thursday, Nov. 9, facing defending conference champ Plymouth State at Amelia Park with a 7:35 p.m. start.

Salem will host Fitchburg next Thursday at 7:00 pm