Guy Loranger scored three goals to lead St. Francis Xavier to a 5-3 victory over the UMass-Amherst in an exhibition game Saturday at the Mullins Center.
Loranger opened the scoring with his first goal on a power play 4:56 into the game. Patrick Grandmaitre (four assists) and Yanick Evola got the helpers. UMass tied the game less than a minute later when freshman Matt Walsh scored with assists going to freshman Greg Mauldin and senior Toni Soderholm.
St. Francis scored the next two goals to take a 3-1 lead over the Minutemen. Dustin Russell scored a power-play goal at 8:07 and Alan Dwyer netted one at 10:55 for the two-goal lead. UMass cut the lead to one when sophomore Tommy Pock scored from the slot off a pass from junior Tim Turner. St. Francis ended the first period with Loranger netting his second of the game with 2:17 remaining.
UMass scored the only goal of the second period to cut the St. Francis lead to 4-3. Sophomore Scott Horvath scored a power-play goal from just outside the crease at the 10:53 mark. Freshman Justin Rafferty and senior Randy Drohan assisted.
But Loranger completed his hat trick, giving St. Francis at 5-3 lead at the 10:17 mark of the third period.
UMass freshman goaltender Tim Warner made 10 saves in the losing effort, while St. Francis goaltender David Haun made 22 saves for the victory.
Massachusetts will open the regular season with a “Public Safety Night” at the Mullins Center on Saturday, Oct. 13. Local police officers, firefighters and their families will be admitted free to the opener against Niagara, which begins at 7:00 p.m.
