Men’s Ice Hockey Done in by SNHU, 6-1

WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 20, 2018) – One night after the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team posted a statement win on the road on Friday night, it was Southern New Hampshire which made a statement away from home on Saturday night. The Penmen scored twice in each period to hammer out a 6-1 win in the back end of a Northeast-10 Conference home-and-home series at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Freshman defenseman Zack Ciampa led the way for SNHU with four assists.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 5-12-1 (2-5-1 NE10), while SNHU improves to 8-4-2 (4-3-1 NE10). The two teams wound up evenly splitting the three-game season series, 1-1-1.

SNHU opened the scoring five minutes into the action on Saturday night. Sophomore forward Brett Strawn had the finish on his fourth goal of the season from out in front of the top of the crease. Franklin Pierce senior goaltender Tom McGuckin (Clayton, N.J.) got a piece of the shot, but not enough to keep it out of the net. Ciampa -- who more than doubled his season point output on the night -- picked up the lone assist on the play.

The Penmen struck again just 2:57 later, on the 11^th of the season for senior forward Chris Moquin. Senior forward Kyle Valliere carried the puck into the offensive end on the right-wing side, after a long feed across the neutral zone from Ciampa. Valliere drove down the right wing, to the bottom of the circle and went to throw the puck towards the net. His attempt was knocked down by the Franklin Pierce defense, but the loose puck fell to the stick of Moquin, who snapped it home from the bottom of the right circle at 7:57.

Franklin Pierce cut the deficit in half, with its only goal of the night, at the 4:35 mark of the second period. Junior forward Travis Geraci (Old Bridge, N.J.) was able to force a turnover on the forecheck, and senior forward David Wilcox (Stillwater, Maine) narrowly held the puck in the zone at the left point. Wilcox took the puck down the left-wing side and then snapped his fourth goal of the campaign to the top-right corner from the middle of the left circle.

SNHU responded just 83 seconds later, with a power-play marker at 5:58. Back to collect the puck behind his own net, freshman defenseman Max Kent sent it ahead to senior defenseman Alec Cochran. Cochran then fed the puck into the neutral zone for sophomore forward Jared Goudreau, who took off steaming down the left-wing side and into the offensive end. Goudreau snapped his shot from the left circle, and the attempt deflected off the stick of Franklin Pierce sophomore defenseman Sean Munzing (Beverly, Mass.). The tip seemed to fool McGuckin, as the puck slipped around him and tucked inside the right post down low to push the lead out to 3-1, on Goudreau's fourth of the season.

The Penmen made it 4-1 before the second intermission, with another goal at 14:36. After digging the puck out in the left-wing corner, Valliere centered for junior forward Joseph Berardi, who suddenly found himself with a 2-on-1, coming in from the high slot. Berardi laid the puck off to the left side for sophomore forward Ryan Spagnoli, who buried a quick shot for his first collegiate goal.

SNHU added two more goals in quick succession in the middle of the third period to create the 6-1 final. First, came a shorthanded goal at 9:35. Ciampa won a battle deep in his own end and sent the puck ahead to sophomore forward DJ Goldstein, who used his speed to zip off down the right-wing side and lead a 2-on-1 into the offensive end. Goldstein ultimately centered for freshman forward Kyle Galloway, who beat McGuckin inside the left post for his fourth goal of the season. The fifth Penmen tally spelled the end of the day for McGuckin, who gave way to freshman goaltender Ian Wallace (West Islip, N.Y.).

Wallace was beaten just 81 seconds later, as the Penmen capped the scoring with a 4-on-4 goal at 10:56. Junior forward Artem Efimov-Barakov stuffed home his fifth goal of the year at the right post on a wrap-around attempt after tracking the puck down behind the cage. Ciampa and sophomore defenseman Brian O'Callaghan provided the helpers on the play.

McGuckin (3-9-1) logged the first 49:35 in net and finished with 20 saves against 25 shots in a losing effort for Franklin Pierce. Wallace stopped six of seven shots in relief over the final 10:25. At the other end of the ice, freshman netminder Kurt Gutting (4-0-0) collected 31 saves against 32 shots in the victory for SNHU.

The Ravens return to the ice on Jan. 26-27, when they travel to Assumption for a two-game, NE10 weekend series. Opening faceoff is set for 5:35 p.m. on Friday and 8:35 p.m. on Saturday at Buffone Arena in Worcester, Mass.

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 ice hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).