Wilcox scores first collegiate goal

BOSTON (December 12, 2015) – Goals came early and often inside Steriti Memorial Rink on Saturday night and, ultimately, a pair of power-play goals allowed the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team to claim, and then maintain, the lead in a 5-4 win at Suffolk. Sophomore forward Jonathan Haun (Buffalo, N.Y.) (2-1-3) and junior forward Connor Mauro (Shrewsbury, Mass.) (1-2-3) tallied three points each in the non-conference win for the Ravens.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 2-9-0, while Suffolk falls to 7-3-2, as both teams head into the semester break.

Franklin Pierce needed just 23 seconds to open the scoring in a first period in which the two teams would combine for four goals. Sophomore forward Brad Riccardi (Scarsdale, N.Y.) broke the ice with his third goal of the season, off of an assist from senior forward Brendan Glynn (Quincy, Mass.).

Suffolk struck twice in a span of 50 seconds five minutes later to surge to a 2-1 lead. At the 5:17 mark, junior forward Danyil Medvedev salted away his team-leading seventh of the season, off of assists from freshman forward Connor Parent and senior defenseman Tyler Heineman. Next, at the 6:07 mark, it was the first goal of the campaign for sophomore forward Jack Jenkins, while junior forward Stanton Turner provided the lone assist.

Franklin Pierce would strike to tie the game at 2-2 before the period was out. At the 13:14 mark, Haun notched his third goal of the season, with freshman defenseman Jack Williams (Suffield, Conn.) and Mauro picking up the assists.

The first half of the second period went by the boards quietly, with nary a goal nor a penalty to be found, but the two teams combined for three goals in the final nine minutes of the stanza. Franklin Pierce reclaimed the lead at 3-2 at the 11:27 mark of the middle frame. Sophomore forward David Wilcox (Stillwater, Maine) put home his first collegiate goal, with Mauro providing the lone assist. The lead lasted just one minute, as Suffolk drew even at the 12:27 mark on Parent's fourth of the season, with assists going to junior forward Justin Selep and Medvedev.

The Ravens would find a pair of power-play goals, one on either side of the second intermission, to take a lead they would not relinquish. At the 15:15 mark of the second period, Haun's second of the night came off of an assist from junior defenseman Taylor Fletcher (Leominster, Mass.). Then, at the 5:04 mark of the third period, Mauro put away his second of the season on the man-advantage, with sophomore forward Sean Gargin (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Haun picking up the helpers.

Suffolk closed the gap to one goal with just 4:43 to play on Saturday night. At the 15:17 mark, Jenkins scored his second goal of the season, off of assists from junior forward Simon Leahy and freshman defenseman Sean Henry. The Rams went on the power play with 1:54 to play and got the goaltender to the bench for the extra attacker for the final 30 seconds, but could not even the score, as the Ravens skated away with the 5-4 road win.

Sophomore goaltender Tom McGuckin (Clayton, N.J.) made 29 saves against 33 shots on goal to pick up the win (1-4-0) in the crease for Franklin Pierce. Senior netminder Brandon Smolarek started at the other end of the ice and stopped 14 of the 18 shots on his goal, before being lifted after the second Haun goal. Junior Kevin Venturoso (1-1-0) went the rest of the way between the pipes for Suffolk, making 11 saves against 12 shots and taking the loss.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Jan. 2, when they travel to University of New England for a non-conference contest. Opening faceoff is set for 4 p.m. at Harold Alfond Forum in Biddeford, Maine.

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).