Carr, Murphy each score fifth of season

WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 19, 2013) – Senior forwards Michael Carr (South Boston, Mass.) and Sean Dunn (Quincy, Mass.) scored 2:08 apart in the second period on Saturday night to build a 3-1 lead, but it would not be enough, as the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team dropped a 4-3 decision to Stonehill in Northeast-10 Conference play at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Senior forward Dana Borges scored twice and later assisted on the game-winning goal in the victory for Stonehill.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 4-8-2 (2-2-0 Northeast-10), while Stonehill improves to 8-10-0 (4-1-0 Northeast-10). The two teams have now split the first two games of the three-game season series. The final meeting, on Feb. 2 at Stonehill, will determine which side earns the two points in the Northeast-10 standings.

Stonehill opened the scoring before the crowd could settle into its seats on Saturday night. On the first rush of the game after the opening faceoff, Borges snapped a shot from the left-wing circle to the back of the net for his team-leading 11th goal of the campaign. Junior forward Bill Carey and senior forward George DeMello picked up the assists just 16 seconds into the proceedings.

Franklin Pierce drew level at 1-1 with a power-play goal with 2:14 to play in the stanza. Freshman forward Paddy Murphy (Quincy, Mass.) finished off a loose puck in front of the net for his fifth goal of the season, while junior defenseman Kyle Craig (Auburn, N.H.) picked up the lone assist.

The Ravens would strike twice in the opening seven minutes of the second period to jump to a 3-1 lead. At 4:35, Carr forced a turnover in the neutral zone and had a partial breakaway down the left side of the ice. By the time he got into the left circle, he no longer had an angle to the net, and instead wired a wrist shot to the top-left corner for his fifth goal of the year, unassisted. At 6:43, senior forward Roscoe Sweeney (Falmouth, Mass.) and senior defenseman Brendan McCarron (Andover, Mass.) teamed to get the puck to Dunn along the right halfboards in the offensive end. From there, Dunn slung it towards the net along the ice, and it snuck inside the left post as Stonehill freshman goaltender Matthew Palella was caught off his angle. The goal was Dunn's second of the season.

Stonehill would commence the comeback at the 9:46 mark and would score a pair of power-play goals to tie the game at 3-3 heading into the second intermission. First, Borges notched his second of the night from the middle of the right circle, off assists from junior forward Bryan Rooney and sophomore defenseman Brendan Greene. Later, at the 14:24 mark, sophomore forward Kevin Aufiero took a shot from the right point through traffic that was stopped by Franklin Pierce junior goaltender Dave O'Brien (Groton, Mass.). The rebound came out of the crease to the bottom of the left-wing circle and landed on the stick of Rooney. He flung a backhand pass into the slot to an open Robbie Dorgan, and the freshman forward one-timed home his sixth of the season.

After a majority of the third frame went by the boards with the game still tied 3-3, Stonehill struck for the winner with 5:12 to play in regulation. Borges sent the puck to Greene at the top of the left-wing circle and the latter wound and fired. O'Brien had the angle and looked to make the save, as he got a good piece of the puck, but it snuck through him and trickled into the net to create the 4-3 final.

O'Brien made 30 saves against 34 shots on goal and took the loss (2-3-1) between the pipes for Franklin Pierce. Palella stopped 25 of 28 shots and picked up his first career win (1-2-0) in net for Stonehill.

The Ravens return to the ice on Tuesday, Jan. 22, when they travel to Southern New Hampshire for a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Ice Den in Hooksett, N.H. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Wednesday, Jan. 30 against Assumption at 7:30 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce men's ice hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).