After a long start to 2024, the MCLA Trailblazers collected their first MASCAC win on home ice against Framingham State on Saturday, January 20^th. It wasn’t an easy win for the team, nor was it pretty, but it was enough for the first time since November 21^st for the men in North Adams, Massachusetts.

               This first period of the game was reminiscent of the rest of the Trailblazers’ 2024 games as they were outshot 23 to 7 by Framingham State, and once again par for the course were trailing by a score of 1 to 0 following a goal from Patrick Colgan. The second period had a different vibe for MCLA, as their consistent success in the faceoff circle allowed them to come closer to squaring the shots on goal with Framingham State 16 to 11 during the frame. Both teams traded 3 minor penalties each in the second period, but Luke Rhoss (from Jack Bortle) made Jake Barcelou pay for taking a hooking penalty by netting an equalizer 6 minutes into the period. The third period got off to a rough start with MCLA killing a 2-minute roughing minor, but they were able to get back into their flow for about two minutes before Matt Castillo was ejected with a 5-minute major for a check to the head. Luckily, MCLA has been sharpening their penalty killing over the last month of the season, and the usual suspects on the four-man unit did some of their best work on the season to keep the score knotted at one. 2 minutes after the penalty expired, opportunity knocked for MCLA leading scorer Sean Schifferl, who collected his 10^th point of the season on an unassisted goal to put the Trailblazers ahead by one goal with a little over five minutes to go in the game. The Trailblazers fought hard to protect their lead by hemming the puck into the Framingham State zone as often as possible, and when the clock hit zeroes, the score held.

               Some core takeaways from this game are that Mathew Gover was sensational as always, with his 60 saves on 61 shots is a new personal best on the year. The penalty killing unit has clearly rebounded from the Plymouth State game by holding solid 6 for 6 against Westfield State, and 4 for 4 against Framingham State. Getting some goals on the board should be a big confidence booster for the team as they approach the final run of their MASCAC schedule. Lastly, I want to put a shoutout to Jack Bortle on his first point of the season, anyone who has watched MCLA play this season has seen how high his compete level is in every battle on the ice, and that first point has been long overdue for him.