John-Michael DiGregorio (file photo)
Posted: Nov 23, 2021
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State seniors Paul Frys (Portland, Ore.) and John-Michael DiGregorio (Montreal, Quebec) each tallied pair of goals for the Owls as Westfield topped Johnson and Wales University 5-3 in a non-conference game at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro, Mass.
Westfield heads into the Thanksgiving break with a 4-3-1 overall record, while JWU slides to 2-6.
Frys netted the game winner with 5:06 left in regulation to break a 3-3 tie, converting off a centering pass from Dawson Garcia (Oakville, Ontario), with Frys beating Wildcats netminder Jacob Perrin for the goal.
DiGregorio tacked on his second of the night on a 2-on-1 breakaway with 1:11 left, as he cashed in on a pass from Cory Morris (Kahnawake, Quebec) for a 5-3 lead.
Westfield State sophomore goalkeeper Valtteri Valtonen (Helsinki, Finland) came up with a key stop late, gloving a shot with 18 seconds left after an Owls defender lost an edge to create a 2-on-1 situation for Johnson and Wales. Valtonen made 20 saves to ensure the win for Westfield.
Westfield trailed 1-0 after the first period, but DiGregorio's first marker of the game came on the power play 5:04 into the second period to tie the game 1-1. JWU got a tying goal from Jared Lamothe at 11:52 of the second period.
Goals came fast and furious in the third period, as Westfield's Jake Ratcliffe (Auckland, New Zealand) tallied just 20 seconds into the period, then Frys scored at the 7:45 mark to give Westfield a 3-2 lead. The Wildcats answered less than two minutes later with a goal from Austin Whytcombe to tie the game at 3-3.
Frys leads the Owls with six goals and nine points this season.
Westfield will jump back into league play after Thanksgiving, hosting Fitchburg State on Thursday, Dec. 2 at 7:35 p.m. at Amelia Park Arena