Oldaker has first career multiple-goal game

HOOKSETT, N.H. (February 10, 2015) – Sophomore forward Brett Oldaker (Canonsburg, Pa.) notched his first career hat trick with eight seconds to play in regulation on Tuesday night to cap a dramatic comeback as the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team scored four third-period goals to rally for a 6-6 tie against Southern New Hampshire in Northeast-10 Conference play at the Ice Den. Freshman forward Kyle Valliere also had his first career hat trick as part of a four-point night (3-1-4) for SNHU.

With the tie, Franklin Pierce moves to 3-17-1 (2-5-1 Northeast-10), while SNHU goes to 9-11-2 (3-7-1 Northeast-10). The teams have split their three-game season series and each will earn one point in the Northeast-10 standings as a result.

The game marked only the second time in program history Franklin Pierce was able to erase a four-goal deficit, and the first time the team was successfully able to rally from such a deficit to avoid a loss. The only previous time the Ravens had erased a four-goal margin came on Dec. 3, 2003 at home against Suffolk. Franklin Pierce fell behind 4-0 in the first period in that one, before rallying to tie the game at 6-6 with 5:15 to play in regulation, only to surrender another goal 12 seconds later and fall, 7-6.

Trailing 6-2 after 40 minutes on Tuesday night, the Ravens set about their most-successful period of the season in the final stanza. Junior forward Brendan Glynn (Quincy, Mass.) got the rally started with his fifth of the season at the 6:01 mark. Freshman forward Jonathan Lee (Staten Island, N.Y.) started the play by taking control of the puck just inside the blue line in the offensive end. Lee was able to center the puck across the slot to senior forward Tim Sullivan (Rye, N.H.), who drew the goalie as he one-touched a pass back against the grain for Glynn, who finished on the backhand.

At 9:30, Oldaker notched his first career multiple-goal game with his second of the night and fourth of the season, on the power play. Sophomore defenseman Taylor Fletcher (Leominster, Mass.) made a lunging play to keep the puck in the zone at the point and then threw a shot on net. SNHU freshman goaltender Matthew MacInnis made the first two saves on the play, as he stopped Fletcher's shot from the point and a rebound chance by freshman forward Anthony Langevin (Albany, N.Y.). The third time was the charm on the man-advantage for the Ravens, as Oldaker was on-hand to clean up Langevin's rebound.

Less than two minutes later, at 11:27, junior forward Matt Batis (Lakewood, N.Y.) made it three goals in a span of 5:26 and closed the gap to 6-5. Fletcher picked up his second assist of the night and his first collegiate multiple-point game, as the puck came to him along the boards at the right point. Fletcher quickly flipped the puck towards the net, and Batis was waiting outside the crease to redirect it behind MacInnis for his fourth goal of the campaign.

After closing the gap to one goal with 8:33 to play, the Ravens waited until the final moment to draw even. With the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, and in the aftermath of a faceoff in the left-wing circle, Sullivan took a shot from the left point. Oldaker was stationed in the path of the shot and was able to get his stick on the puck for the deflection goal to complete the comeback. Junior forward Paddy Murphy (York, Maine) picked up an assist on the play as well.

After the raucous regulation, neither team was credited with a shot on goal in the overtime frame, as the two sides skated to the 6-6 draw.

Earlier in the day, Oldaker had opened the scoring as well, as the Ravens capitalized on a failed clear by the SNHU defense. Batis and Murphy had the assists, as Oldaker snapped his third of the season home from the right-wing circle at 3:23.

SNHU struck twice in the final seven minutes of the first frame to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. On the power play, senior forward Dane Caracino threw the puck on net from the left halfboards, and his shot was turned aside by Franklin Pierce freshman goaltender Tom McGuckin (Clayton, N.J.). Unfortunately for McGuckin, the rebound deflected off of one of his own defensemen and found the back of the net for Caracino's team-leading 12th goal of the campaign at 13:54. Later, at 19:15, the Penmen capitalized on a failed Franklin Pierce clear. On the right-wing side, freshman forward Kevin Lorcher centered across the slot for Valliere, who one-timed home his seventh of the season.

The Penmen poured it on in the second period to amass the seemingly-comfortable 6-2 lead they would take into the second intermission. At 1:47, Lorcher and senior defenseman Josef Danilchuck worked the puck to Valliere in the right-wing circle. Valliere deked around a defender and finished his second of the night into the top-left corner from there.

Valliere picked up an assist at 10:24, as he centered the puck out of the left-wing corner to sophomore forward Jay Sylvia at the top of the crease. McGuckin got his pad to Sylvia's one-time attempt for an impressive save, but the rebound came straight back to Sylvia's stick for an easy finish and his 10th goal of the year. Valliere then finished his hat trick with a power-play marker at 12:06 by flipping a rebound over McGuckin's shoulder from just outside the crease. The fifth SNHU goal of the night spelled the end of the day for McGuckin, who was lifted in favor of junior Kyle Moran (Marshfield, Mass.).

Franklin Pierce answered with a power-play goal of its own at 15:18, on the first collegiate goal for freshman forward Jonathan Haun (Buffalo, N.Y.). The puck was tied up as the teams battled for possession off of a faceoff in the left circle. Haun was the first man to get his stick to the puck cleanly, and quickly beat MacInnis on the glove side to cut the gap to 5-2, while freshman forward Evan Marek (Enfield, Conn.) and senior forward Bryan Gillentine (Atlanta, Ga.) picked up the assists.

Just 21 seconds later, SNHU reclaimed the four-goal lead, setting the stage for the dramatic third period. Senior forward John Humphrey put home his fourth of the season, off of assists from Caracino and junior forward Joe Collins at 15:39.

McGuckin made 15 saves against 20 shots over the first 32:06 and did not factor in the decision in goal for Franklin Pierce. Moran stopped 15 of 16 shots the rest of the way and was credited with the tie (1-7-1). MacInnis made 27 saves against 33 shots at the other end of the ice to pick up the tie (2-7-2) in net for SNHU.

The Ravens return to the ice on Thursday, Feb. 12, when they return home to host Stonehill in a Northeast-10 contest. Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena in Winchendon.

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).