Nine different Ravens find scoresheet

WINCHENDON, Mass. (February 12, 2013) – Graduate student forward Anthony Chighisola (Whitman, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal with 45 seconds to play in the second period on Tuesday night, as the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team posted a 3-2 victory over Southern New Hampshire in Northeast-10 Conference play at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. In all, five different players scored goals in the game.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 7-10-3 (5-4-1 Northeast-10), while Southern New Hampshire falls to 7-13-2 (5-4-1 Northeast-10). The win evens the season series between the two teams, which means two points will be on the line during Thursday night's series finale at SNHU (7:30 p.m.). A win on Thursday will clinch at least the second seed and a semifinal home game for Franklin Pierce in the upcoming Northeast-10 Championship. With a tie, the Ravens can still host if Stonehill wins against Saint Anselm on Feb. 19. A loss would mean Franklin Pierce would be on the road in the semifinal round.

SNHU opened the scoring at the 5:11 mark of the first period by capitalizing on an egregious turnover by the Franklin Pierce defense in its own end. The loss of possession left sophomore forward Steven Berry with a breakaway from the top of the right circle and he deked to the left post and beat junior goaltender Dave O'Brien (Groton, Mass.) with a backhand for his 10th of the campaign.

Franklin Pierce tied the game 4:23 later after freshman forward Matt Batis (Lakewood, N.J.) sent the puck to junior defenseman Andrew Dadds (Mount Ephraim, N.J.) at the right point. Dadds wound and fired from there, and junior forward Ted Walsh (Quincy, Mass.) deflected the puck past SNHU junior goaltender Tyler Holske for his fourth goal of the year.

The game went without another goal until after the midway point of the second, as the teams set about piling up ill-advised penalties instead. In all, the game would finish with three elbowing minors, a boarding minor, a charging major (with a game misconduct) and a 10-minute misconduct, all whistled in the game's first 36 minutes. SNHU would cash the only power-play goal of the night however, taking a 2-1 lead on the man-advantage at 12:07 of the second. Berry got his second point of the night as he fed the puck to sophomore forward John Humphrey in the left circle and the latter snapped a wrist shot to the top of the net while drifting backwards away from the slot for his sixth of the season.

The Ravens needed just 97 seconds to respond this time, knotting the game at 2-2 at 13:45. Junior defenseman Kyle Craig (Quincy, Mass.) had the initial shot on the play, which Holske knocked aside. In the aftermath, senior defenseman Wes Russell (Marlboro, Mass.) got the loose puck to freshman forward Doug Usseglio (Waltham, Mass.), who put home the second goal of his rookie campaign. Later, at 19:45, quick puck movement by senior defenseman Matt Lopes (Auburn, N.H.) and senior forward Michael Carr (South Boston, Mass.) found a wide open Chighisola in the slot. Chighisola one-timed a shot into the gaping net for his seventh of the season before Holske could slide across his crease.

The goal was the 40th of Chighisola's career, extending his program record, as well as his 86th career point. The total (40-46-86) ties him with Joe Fields for the program record, though senior forward Roscoe Sweeney (Falmouth, Mass.) sits just one point behind (35-50-85).

O'Brien made 28 saves to pick up the win (5-4-1), the 15th of his career, in net for Franklin Pierce. At the other end Holske stopped 26 shots and took the loss (7-9-2) for SNHU.

After Thursday's tilt at SNHU, the Ravens return home on Tuesday, Feb. 19, to wrap up the regular season against Westfield State. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.

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).