BIDDEFORD, Maine (March 14, 2021) - For the second time in as many days, the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team took to the road against University of New England on Sunday, this time to close out the abbreviated 2021 season. Despite a three-point performance (1-2-3) from sophomore Conor Foley (Nahant, Mass.), the Ravens stumbled to a 9-4 loss at Alfond Forum.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce's season draws to a close at 1-5-0, while UNE remains undefeated and improves to 4-0-0.

Saturday's game saw five goals scored in the opening period, and the two teams outdid that mark on Sunday by pouring in seven goals. UNE opened the scoring with two straight in rapid succession. The first was scored at 6:35 by Austin Morgan, who received a pass from the right-side boards from Aaron Aragon. The second came just under a minute later, at 7:32. Geordan Buffoline found the back of the net with many bodies out front.

Franklin Pierce would get one back at 9:58, thanks to junior forward Chris Stevenson (Arvada, Colo.). Foley sent the puck towards the net, where Stevenson found it and made no mistake, as he roofed a backhand just under the crossbar for his second goal of the season.

The Nor'easters extended their lead to 3-1 on a tip-in goal from Brent Hill in the slot at 15:33. Buffoline's second of the game followed at 17:33, to cap a quality possession in the Franklin Pierce zone and make it 4-1.

Junior forward Ryan Gorbett (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) cut the deficit back to two, as he fired a quick shot into the net at 18:36, after Stevenson and Foley started the play in the neutral zone.

Before the first intermission the Nor'easters would squeeze in one more goal to make it 5-2 heading into the break. At 18:59, Morgan skated the puck deep into the Franklin Pierce end and threw a backhand pass to Jake Fuss, who buried a one-timer from between the dots. His second of the season stood as the eventual game-winning goal.

The second period was defined by three UNE goals scored in just over four minutes of play. Hill scored his fourth of the season at 10:20, and then picked up an assist on Alden Weller's goal at 14:22. Just 22 seconds later, at 14:44, Aragon scored his first of two on the afternoon to make the score 8-2 at the end of the period.

The third period was among the best the Ravens played all weekend, as they tallied 13 shots and a pair of goals, though it would not be nearly enough to eliminate the deficit. Aragon picked up his second goal at 6:32, to push the UNE lead as high as 9-2, before the Ravens connected on the power play at 13:15. Sophomore Vito Carlo (Las Vegas, Nev.) got the puck at the middle of the blue line and fired a low shot on net. Foley put his stick in the lane and tipped the puck between the legs of the UNE netminder for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Shortly after another power-play chance expired, the Ravens would strike again, as junior Alex O'Dowd (Hanover, Mass.) tallied his first career goal. He was the recipient of a 2-on-1 pass from Cody Rumsey (York, Pa). Sophomore Tyler Rudek (Woonsocket, R.I.) picked up the secondary assist on each of Franklin Pierce's two third-period goals.

Junior goaltender Kyle Martin (Westford, Mass.) started in net for Franklin Pierce and suffered the loss (0-2-0) after surrendering eight goals on 29 shots over the first two periods. Senior Ian Wallace (West Islip, N.Y.) took over for the third and stopped 12 of 13 shots. In front of the UNE cage, senior Pat Schena (1-0-0) picked up his first collegiate win by making 11 saves against 13 shots over the first two periods. Junior Peter Ciccarelli came on to start the third and also stopped 11 of 13 shots.