Federico collects two assists

WINCHENDON, Mass. (December 9, 2011) – Sophomore goaltender Dave O'Brien (Groton, Mass.) racked up a career-best 49 saves on Friday night, though the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team ultimately skated to a 2-2 tie with University of New England in non-conference play at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Sophomore forward Zach Lokey forced the draw with the game-tying goal in an extra-attacker situation with 40 seconds to play in regulation.

With the tie, Franklin Pierce is now 1-5-3 (1-1-1 Northeast-10), while University of New England goes to 2-6-2 (1-5-0 ECAC East).

The Franklin Pierce attack struck for the only two goals of the first period before going dormant for the final 40 minutes of the game. With UNE junior forward Tyler Fleurent in the penalty box for boarding, the Ravens power play needed just 10 seconds to convert for the game's first goal. Junior forward Dino Federico (Canton, Mass.) took a pass from senior forward Pat Shortt (New Haven, Conn.) and sent a shot towards the net from the left side. Sophomore goaltender Ian Edwards made the initial save, but the rebound came to the top of the crease to sophomore forward Brandon Dennis (Williamsport, Md.), who put home his third goal of the season at the 7:43 mark.

Later, with just 1:40 to play in the stanza, junior forward Adam Dallaire (Waltham, Mass.) notched his second goal of the season to make it a 2-0 game. On a rush into the offensive zone, Federico fed the puck to Dallaire streaking down the left side, and Dallaire snapped a shot from the faceoff dot. Edwards got a piece of the wrist shot with his glove, but not enough, as the puck trickled just inside the right post.

From there, it would be all UNE, as the Nor'easters sent a barrage of 26 shots against O'Brien in the second period. O'Brien turned aside all but one, as freshman forward Mike Chase cut the deficit in half with his second marker of the season at the 17:56 mark. In the middle of the right-wing circle, Chase took a pass from senior forward Scott McManaman and sniped the top corner over O'Brien's shoulder to get UNE on the board.

The game would go without another goal until the waning moments of regulation, when the Nor'easters pulled Edwards in favor of the extra attacker. The gambit worked, as sophomore forward Sean Sullivan found Lokey in the left circle, and the latter beat O'Brien on the short side to tie the game at the 19:20 mark. The goal would prove to be the game-tying goal after neither team could muster a goal in overtime.

O'Brien chalked up a career-high 49 saves, but only earned a tie (1-1-2) for his efforts between the pipes for Franklin Pierce. Edwards stopped 19 shots to pick up the tie (2-4-1) in front of the UNE net.

University of New England posted a 51-21 advantage in shots on goal in the game and went 0-for-8 on the power play. Franklin Pierce finished 1-for-6 with the man-advantage.

The Ravens, who now pause for hockey's traditional break for exams and the holidays, return to the ice on Wednesday, Jan. 4, when they remain home to host Saint Anselm in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.

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).