RUTLAND, Vt. -  The Castleton men's hockey team found the back of the net in all three periods in their 5-1 route over Franklin Pierce Friday afternoon, advancing to the Terry Moran Invitational Championship game for the second consecutive season.
 
Andrew Stefura continued his recent hot stretch of play, tallying a team-high two goals to go with an assist, bringing his season totals to five (a team-best) and three, respectively. Brandon Picard and Bryce Irwin also put together strong performances in the win, each tallying a pair of assists, with scores from Zach Papapetros, Stone Stelzl, and Zack Whittaker as well as helpers from Romeo Torain, Dylan Roebuck, Francis Young-Menard and Jackson Kobelka rounding out a complete team showing by the Spartans.
 
Dominic Rodrigue looked strong in net for Castleton, making 23 saves and allowing just one score to secure his first collegiate win.
 
Friday's contest started off as an even battle before Whittaker scored his first collegiate goal with just over five minutes to go in the opening period. Roebuck started the break by blocking a shot in his own zone before taking the puck down the ice into Ravens territory. The freshman dumped the puck to Irwin behind the net, who found Whittaker at the right circle for the one-timer to make it 1-0.
 
Castleton's offense came alive the second period, scoring powerplay goals from Stefura — his team-high fourth of the season — and Papapetros before Stelzl's first of the year made it a 4-0 game. Franklin Pierce cut the lead back to three with a goal halfway into the second period, but the Spartans maintained their lead for the remainder of the frame to enter the third up 4-1.
 
A pair of penalties on both teams set the game up in a 4-on-4 two minutes into the period, and after one minute it was Stefura striking once again on a rebound off a shot from Torain to extend their lead to four once again. The goal was Stefura's fifth, and he has now scored in four of his last five games.
 
The Spartans will take on Saint Anselm College in tomorrow's title game, as they look to repeat as Champions after winning a season ago. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m., with Buffalo State and Franklin Pierce playing in the Consolation Game at 1 p.m.