Gibbons nets first career goal

GENESEO, N.Y. (January 16, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team and SUNY Geneseo played each other even over the final 40 minutes on Saturday afternoon, leaving the four-goal first for the homestanding Knights of SUNY Geneseo as the difference at Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena. Junior forward Stephen Collins -- the team's leading scorer -- had his third career hat trick to lead SUNY Geneseo to a 6-2 win in non-conference play.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 2-13-0, while SUNY Geneseo improves to 10-3-3.

SUNY Geneseo scored early and often as it took control of the game in the opening 20 minutes on Saturday. Collins and senior forward AJ Sgaraglio opened the scoring with goals just 17 seconds apart early in the first stanza. Senior defenseman Matt Solomon had the lone assist on Collins' team-leading 13th of the season at the 5:18 mark. Sgaraglio followed up with his second of the campaign at 5:35, off of assists from junior forward RJ Burns and junior defenseman Cam Hampson.

The second two goals for the Knights came in quick succession as well, just 37 seconds apart late in the frame. Collins put home his second of the day at the 17:12 mark, with Hampson and junior forward Trevor Hills providing the helpers. The third of the season for junior forward Jack Ceglarski followed on the power play at 17:49, with sophomore forward Sotiris Athanasopoulos and junior forward Connor Anthoine providing the assists.

Franklin Pierce finally answered with the second period's only goal, a power-play strike at the 6:38 mark. It was the fourth goal of the year for sophomore forward Jonathan Haun (Buffalo, N.Y.), with assists going to sophomore forwards Sean Gargin (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Brad Riccardi (Scarsdale, N.Y.).

At the 6:09 mark of the third, Anthoine made it a four-goal game again, with his fifth goal of the season, while Ceglarski and senior forward David Ripple chipped in assists on the play, before the Ravens again cut the gap to three, at the 12:59 mark. The goal was an unassisted, shorthanded tally for senior defenseman Dan Gibbons (Quincy, Mass.), and was the first goal of his collegiate career.

Both offenses went quiet from there for much of the rest of the afternoon. The lone remaining goal was the 15th of the season for Collins, who finished off his hat trick at 18:58, off of assists from Solomon and senior defenseman Matthew Hutchinson.

Senior goaltender Kyle Moran (Marshfield, Mass.) finished with 39 saves against 45 shots on goal and took the loss (1-4-0) in the crease for Franklin Pierce. At the other end of the ice, junior netminder Matt Leon (2-0-1) made 25 saves against 27 shots between the pipes for SUNY Geneseo.

The Ravens return to the ice on Tuesday, Jan. 19, when they return home to host Saint Anselm in a Northeast-10 Conference 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 soccer apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).