Ravens home Saturday against Manhattanville

PLYMOUTH, N.H. (February 12, 2016) – Leading just 1-0 halfway through the second period, the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team poured in four goals in a span of 5:58 in the second half of the stanza to push to a 5-1 lead which it would hold the remainder of the way on Friday night at Plymouth State. Junior forward Michelle Holmes (Goffstown, N.H.) and senior forward Karsyn Baker (Detroit, Mich.) had three points each on the night for the Ravens in the New England Hockey Conference victory at Hanaway Rink.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 14-6-1 (8-6-0 NEHC), while Plymouth State falls to 8-15-0 (4-11-0 NEHC).

Of the game's six goals, five came in the middle period, which left the first and third periods on the quiet side. Franklin Pierce struck for the first period's only goal with less than a half-minute to play, at the 19:39 mark. Baker wound up in alone against Plymouth State freshman goaltender Emelie Lindqvist off of a broken play inside the Panthers' blue line. Baker worked her way out front, deked around Lindqvist and slid the puck in on the backhand. Senior forward Colleen Doucette (Wakefield, Mass.) and senior defenseman Hayley Arnold (Barre, Vt.) picked up the assists on Baker's 12th goal of the season.

Franklin Pierce picked up the pressure early in the second period, which foreshadowed the flood of goals which was about to come. Holmes would strike twice in a span of 95 seconds to stretch the lead to 3-0. The first came at the 13:29 mark, after Baker and Doucette combined to win the puck in a lengthy battle for possession along the left-wing halfboards. With the puck frozen up against the boards by the Plymouth State defense, the referee was nearly forced to blow the play dead, but Doucette was ultimately able to jam it free. Baker then possessed the puck and drifted into the left-wing corner. From there, she slipped a pass out front for Holmes, who had an easy one-time finish for her team-leading 13th goal of the campaign.

Holmes again finished on the doorstep for her 14th of the season, which came on the power play at the 15:04 mark. Holmes banged the puck home at the left post, off of assists from Arnold and Sheils.

Just 1:45 later, at the 16:49 mark, Plymouth State got one goal back. Senior forward Marisa Zamrock put away her third of the year at the left post, off assists from junior forwards Lauren Connelly and Frédérike Brazeau Lalonde.

Franklin Pierce needed only 25 seconds to reclaim the three-goal lead at 4-1. Senior forward Bryana Harron (Woburn, Mass.) banged home a rebound at the left post for her 11th of the season. Holmes and sophomore forward Alex Brolsma (Bloomington, Minn.) provided the assists at the 17:14 mark.

Again the Ravens struck in the final minute of the period, this time capping a wild middle frame. Senior defenseman Sarah Sheils (Pittsburgh, Pa.) wound up working deep in the offensive end and had the puck behind the net. She was able to walk out front on the left-wing side and put a backhand shot on net. Her initial shot was saved by Lindqvist, but the rebound came right back to Sheils' stick. She stuck with the backhand and flipped her second effort up and over Lindqvist's shoulder and into the net to notch her seventh goal of the year. Baker provided the lone assist at the 19:27 mark.

The game would settle back down in the third period and would see no further scoring, as the Ravens came away with the 5-1 road victory.

Junior goaltender Noelle White (Corona, Calif.) made 21 saves against 22 shots to pick up the win (7-2-0) between the pipes for Franklin Pierce. Lindqvist (7-9-0) made 18 saves against 23 shots over the first two periods in a losing effort in the crease for Plymouth State. Sophomore Mariah Trupp stopped all 11 shots she faced in relief in the third period.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Feb. 13, when they return home to host Manhattanville in an NEHC contest. Opening faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena in Winchendon.

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