Ravens enjoy program's largest hardware haul

Northeast-10 Conference Men's Ice Hockey Awards

RINDGE, N.H. (February 27, 2013) – Four days after winning the first postseason game in program history and three days before playing for the first Northeast-10 Conference title in program history, the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team has brought home the largest single-season haul of hardware in program history. On Wednesday morning, the Conference office announced junior goaltender Dave O'Brien (Groton, Mass.) has been named Northeast-10 Goaltender of the Year and Head Coach Jaymie Harrington has been named Northeast-10 Coach of the Year. In addition, O'Brien and senior defenseman Brendan McCarron (Andover, Mass.) have been named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team, while senior forward Roscoe Sweeney (Falmouth, Mass.) has landed on the All-Northeast-10 Second Team.

The Goaltender and Coach of the Year awards are the second and third major Northeast-10 awards in program history, joining Sweeney's selection as Freshman of the Year in 2009-10. As such, O'Brien and Harrington become the first Ravens to win their respective awards. It is the first time Franklin Pierce has had multiple All-Conference First Team selections, and the three total All-Northeast-10 selections matches the program's high-water mark from 2010-11. Interestingly, that year saw the same three players honored in exactly the opposite manner, as Sweeney landed on the First Team while McCarron and O'Brien took home Second Team honors.

The trio and the bench boss have led the team to a 9-12-3 mark thus far and posted a 6-4-1 mark in Northeast-10 play, which resulted in a second-place finish, the highest in program history. The six Northeast-10 wins was one off the program's best, while the nine overall wins has already established a new program record.

On Saturday night, Sweeney had a goal and two assists, while O'Brien made 35 saves, as Franklin Pierce earned the first postseason victory in school history with a 5-3 win over Southern New Hampshire in the semifinal round of the Northeast-10 Championship. The team will travel to meet top-seeded Saint Anselm in the title game on Saturday, March 2 at 4 p.m. at Sullivan Arena in Manchester, N.H.

Though only a junior, there is no doubt O'Brien will finish his career as the most decorated netminder in program history, and he has seen his best season yet in 2012-13. Over 13 appearances, including 12 starts, he has logged 51.6% of the team's minutes (751:40) and made 430 saves against 466 shots on goal to post a .923 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average on his way to a 7-4-1 record. Though he split time with Pat Dunn for much of the season, O'Brien started eight of the club's 11 Northeast-10 games and was marginally more brilliant there. Over 478:49 against Conference opponents, he made 290 saves against 312 shots on goal for a .929 save percentage, a 2.76 goals-against average and a 5-3-0 record. On six occasions during the season, he made 35 or more saves, including three times in Northeast-10 play, in addition to the 35-save postseason outing mentioned above. Twice he topped 40 saves, led by a 56-save performance at Stonehill on Dec. 1 in a 3-2 win. O'Brien earns his second All-Northeast-10 selection after earning Second Team accolades as a freshman in 2010-11.

Harrington has finally pushed the team over the speed bump that had hampered the program's search for its first postseason victory. The third Head Coach in the team's varsity-level history, he became the winningest coach in program history two years ago, in just his third year behind the bench. The 2012-13 campaign will be the third of his five seasons in which the Ravens have broken the school record for wins. After today's awards, he has now mentored nine All-Northeast-10 selections, four Northeast-10 All-Rookie selections and two major Conference award winners in his five years as skipper.

Harrington's passion and vision for leading the men's ice hockey program has been rewarded with this year's coach-of-the-year honor. Twice during his tenure, the program has set a new team record for fewest penalty minutes, and in 2012-13, it was whistled for 82 fewer penalty minutes than its opponent, including 36 fewer penalty minutes in Northeast-10 play. The discipline has carried over to the classroom, where Harrington has produced five Northeast-10 Academic All-Conference selections over his first four years. On campus, he is one of two Franklin Pierce coaches heavily involved in a newly-formed student-leadership program.

After a junior season in which he tallied only five points (4-1-5), McCarron has returned to his place as the team's biggest offensive threat from the blue line as a senior. He has had the best season of his career in his final go-around, notching 7-9-16 over 24 games, including two game-winning goals and six power-play goals. No other Raven has more than three power-play goals. In 11 Northeast-10 games, McCarron recorded 4-5-9 with three power-play goals and one game-winning goal. He will graduate with the second-most points by a defenseman in program history. McCarron earns his second All-Northeast-10 selection after earning Second Team accolades as a sophomore in 2010-11.

Sweeney is in his second year as a captain of the Ravens and has put himself in the conversation for best player in program history. He had a rough junior season as well, but has rebounded with 8-16-24 as the team's leading scorer in 2012-13. Two of his goals were game-winning goals, including in Saturday's Northeast-10 semifinal win, and two came on the power play. Sweeney has battled Anthony Chighisola for the program's career scoring record all season, and became the first Raven to reach 90 career points (37-54-91) with his three points on Saturday. He currently has a two-point lead over Chighisola (42-47-89) heading into Saturday's season finale. In 11 Northeast-10 games, Sweeney tallied 3-6-9 with one power-play goal and one game-tying goal. Sweeney earns his second All-Northeast-10 selection after earning First Team accolades as a sophomore in 2010-11.

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