WORCESTER, MASS. (Jan. 31, 2004) - The Franklin Pierce ice hockey team suffered an 11-2 loss to Northeast-10/ECAC Northeast foe Assumption College tonight at Buffone Rink.

Assumption senior Rian Murray (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) led the Greyhounds’ offense with a hat trick and an assist for four points, while sophomore Jeff Ilvonen (Aubrun, Mass./Brewster Academy) posted two goals and an assist. Steve Snizek (Harrisville, R.I./Mount Saint Charles), Joe Galdi (Essex Junction, Vt./Essex Junction) and Josh Tierney (Newburyport, Mass./Newburyport) each contributed four points in the win.

Senior Sam Burr (Kingston, N.Y./Newburgh Polar Bears) and freshman Matt Groh (West Palm Beach, Fla./Laconia Leafs) were the only goal scorers for the Ravens. Freshmen Ryan Boudreau (Arlington, Mass./Bridgton Academy) and Brad Leighton (Cumberland, Maine/East Coast Rangers) registered assists.

Assumption quickly took a 4-0 lead over Franklin Pierce in the first, but Burr managed to spoil the shutout with his second of the year for the Ravens at 8:55 in the stanza.

With Groh’s goal at 1:44 into the second period from Boudreau and Leighton, Franklin Pierce threatened, making it a 4-2 game, but the Greyhounds went on to score a total of seven unanswered goals, three coming in the second and four in the third.

Ravens goaltenderDennis Millman (Billerica, Mass./Kimball Union) stopped 21 shots in 25:28 in net before being relieved by Robert Arduini (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) who made 28 saves and played the duration of the contest. Sophomore Mike Sweeney (Plymouth, Mass./Boston College/Winchendon) picked up the win for the Greyhounds and made six saves.

Franklin Pierce (3-14, 1-12 ECAC Northeast, 0-5 NE-10) next travels to Framingham State on Thursday for an ECAC Northeast matchup at 7:20 p.m. Assumption (8-8-1, 6-4 ECAC Northeast, 2-2 NE-10) will next face Stonehill on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.

Assumption 11, Franklin Pierce 2

First Period: AC, Greg Bigelow (Steve Snizek) 2:47; AC, Rian Murray (Josh Tierney, Joe Galdi) 3:34; AC, Murray (Tierney, Galdi) 3:51; AC, Murray (Snizek, Galdi) 7:44 PP; FPC, Sam Burr (unassisted) 8:55.

Second Period: FPC, Matt Groh (Ryan Boudreau, Brad Leighton) 1:44; AC, Tierney (Snizek) 3:38; AC, Jeff Ilvonen (Vin Montalbano, Kevin Cotter) 4:46; AC, Bobby Fanciullo (Ilvonen, Brian Blanchette) 13:35 PP.

Third Period: AC, Dan Pike (Marty Driend, Geno De Angelis) 3:20 PP; AC, Galdi (Murray, Tierney) 9:48 PP; AC, Ilvonen (Dan Roselando, Snizek) 10:39 PP; AC, Chris Ferullo (Doug Griffith, Greg Bigelow) 18:37 PP.

Goaltenders: FPC, Millman (25:28, 21 saves) Arduini (34:32, 28 saves); AC, Sweeney (60:00, 6 saves).