Men’s Ice Hockey Falls at Saint Michael’s, 6-3, to Close Out Season

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (February 17, 2018) – The Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team was able to generate 33 shots on the road on Saturday afternoon, and senior forward Jonathan Haun (Buffalo, N.Y.) scored in his final collegiate game, but it would not be enough on the road at Cairns Arena. The Ravens surrendered 41 shots and six goals to suffer a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Saint Michael's in Northeast-10 Conference play. Junior forward Nic Hermary scored twice to lead the way for the Purple Knights.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce concludes its season at 7-18-1 (3-11-1 NE10), while Saint Michael's improves to 14-9-2 (9-5-1 NE10). Saint Michael's has qualified for the upcoming NE10 Championship as the second seed and will host Assumption in the first round on Saturday, Feb. 24.

Saint Michael's struck twice in the opening five minutes to build an early 2-0 lead. Hermary opened the scoring at 4:36, as he banged home a rebound from the top of the crease for his third of the season, while senior forward Sam Finkelstein and freshman defenseman Sel Narby provided the assists.

It took just 23 seconds for the Purple Knights to find the net again, this time with the 10^th goal of the campaign for senior forward Eric Salzillo. Salzillo put a slap shot past Franklin Pierce senior goaltender Austin Christopher (Winthrop, Maine) on the glove side at 4:59, off of a feed from freshman forward Cameron Stewart.

Franklin Pierce would roar back with a pair of goals in the final two-and-a-half minutes of the opening frame to tie the game at 2-2. At 17:55, sophomore forward Alex Lester (Methuen, Mass.) put a shot over the glove shoulder of Saint Michael's sophomore goaltender Tim Decker from the slot. Junior defenseman Jack Williams (Suffield, Conn.) provided the setup and picked up the lone assist on Lester's 12^th goal of the year.

Less than two minutes later, Haun took a cross-ice feed in the neutral zone from junior forward Nate Indelicato (Pembroke, Mass.). Haun stepped across the blue line and then rocketed a slap shot over the glove hand of Decker for the 25^th and final goal of his collegiate career. Sophomore defenseman Mark Indelicato (Pembroke, Mass.) added an assist as well at 19:21, on Haun's seventh goal of the season.

Saint Michael's stepped out in front, 3-2, at 9:17 of the second period. Finkelstein had the initial shot on the play, but Christopher made the save. However, junior forward Sam D'Antuono was on the scene in the slot and fired the rebound into the back of the net for his 10^th goal of the winter.

Again Franklin Pierce evened things, this time with a power-play marker at 13:40. Junior forward Travis Geraci (Old Bridge, N.J.) provided the centering feed from the left-wing corner and found sophomore forward Matthew Toombs (Pleasanton, Calif.), who snapped his second goal of the year inside the left post.

Saint Michael's would then strike three times in the final period to take control of the game and pick up the victory. The game-winner came just 76 seconds into the frame as freshman forward Brandon Mitchell picked the top-right corner on a rush into the offensive end. Freshman forward Ethan Hendrickson and junior defenseman Jack Ouellette notched the assists on Mitchell's fifth of the season at 1:16.

The first of the two insurance markers came at 9:02, off the stick of freshman forward Thomas Flack. It was freshman forward Niall Foster who initially put the puck towards the net, but Flack deflected it en route to beat Christopher and pick up his third goal of the season.

The Purple Knights rounded things out with a shorthanded tally at 16:30 to create the 6-3 final. It was Hermary again, as he bookended the scoring after winning a battle in the neutral zone and pushing ahead into the offensive end. He ultimately beat Christopher on the blocker side for his second goal of the day, while sophomore defenseman Hadan Jordan picked up the lone assist.

Making his final collegiate start, Christopher (2-3-0) finished with 35 saves against 41 shots and took the loss in front of the Franklin Pierce net. At the other end of the ice, Decker (7-5-2) stopped 30 of 33 shots to pick up the win for Saint Michael's.

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).