Third Period Balloons Final Score as Men’s Ice Hockey Falls to Johnson & Wales, 5-0

Ravens host Daniel Webster Tuesday

WINCHENDON, Mass. (October 31, 2015) – Through two periods, the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team more or less held its own with Johnson & Wales -- a 15-win program a year ago -- in non-conference play at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. The Wildcats, who enjoyed a 48-17 advantage in shots on goal on the night, put home three goals in the first six minutes of the third period to break the game open and send the Ravens to a 5-0 defeat on Saturday night.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce opens its season at 0-1-0, while Johnson & Wales starts its campaign at 1-0-0. Saturday night marked the Franklin Pierce debut for head coach Bruce Marshall.

Johnson & Wales struck once each in the first two periods to build up a 2-0 lead heading into the second intermission. In the first frame, the Wildcats struck just 16 seconds into a power play, which was created when sophomore forward Jonathan Lee (Staten Island, N.Y.) was whistled for charging. Junior forward Ben Brouillard finished the play off on the doorstep of the goal at the 12:38 mark for Johnson & Wales, while junior forward Drew Kariofiles and senior defenseman Aaron Arm added the assists.

In the second period, freshman winger Nicholas Pezza worked the puck into the offensive zone, where sophomore forward Alan Boozer took possession in the right-wing corner. As Boozer cut towards the net along the goal line, he slipped a pass through to junior forward Connor Bates in front of the left post for the one-time finish at the 19:24 mark, to double the lead to 2-0.

Johnson & Wales added a trio of goals early in the third period to create the 5-0 final. The first marker came on the power play at the 2:57 mark, as the puck came to junior defenseman Michael Mazzotta at the left point. Mazzotta let a shot fly and junior forward Stefan Brucato was able to redirect it en route to notch his first goal of the season.

Just 53 seconds later, Kariofiles made it a two-point night (1-1-2), as he jammed home a rebound at the 3:50 mark, while freshman winger Ryan Sete earned the assist. Another 1:54 later, at the 5:44 mark, Bates put home a rebound for his second goal of the night to cap the scoring, with the assist going to senior defenseman Luke Nickels.

Sophomore goaltender Tom McGuckin (Clayton, N.J.) started in net for Franklin Pierce and made 38 saves against 43 shots on goal while taking the loss (0-1-0). Senior Kyle Moran (Marshfield, Mass.) took over after the second Bates goal and stopped all five shots on his goal over the final 14:16. At the other end of the ice, junior Joey Ballmer turned aside all 17 shots he faced to pick up the win (1-0-0) and his seventh career shutout.

The Ravens return to the ice on Tuesday, Nov. 3, when they remain home to host Daniel Webster in a non-conference contest. Opening faceoff is set 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 soccer apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).