WINCHENDON, Mass. (November 17, 2017) – A pair of third-period insurance markers would stand as the difference on Friday night, as the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team posted a 4-2 win over visiting Stonehill at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Sophomore forward James Morrissey (West Haven, Conn.) netted the game-winning goal in the Northeast-10 Conference affair, while three different Ravens notched two points each on the night.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 2-3-0 (1-1-0 NE10), while Stonehill falls to 1-2-1 (1-1-1 NE10). The two teams will meet again on Saturday night in Winchendon to wrap up the two-game weekend series. Opening faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring just 3:58 into the proceedings, after a turnover by Stonehill while the Skyhawks were trying to clear their own end. Sophomore forward Matthew Toombs (Pleasanton, Calif.) -- who had been doing heavy forechecking work on the shift -- got a touch on the puck in the neutral zone, before senior forward Jonathan Haun (Buffalo, N.Y.) led a 2-on-1 into the attacking zone on the left wing. He had junior forward Nicholas Fotiu (Falmouth, Mass.) with him, but Haun did the work himself, as he snapped his third goal of the season over the shoulder of Stonehill junior goaltender Billy Palmer and into the top-left corner of the net.

Stonehill had the answer less than three minutes later, at 6:17, by capitalizing on an ill-advised shot by freshman defenseman Paul Antkowiak (Salem, N.H.). From the middle of the blue line, Antkowiak put a shot attempt straight into the shinpads of Stonehill freshman forward Logan Stark. The blocked shot allowed Stark to spring himself on a breakaway the other way, and he snapped a shot inside the right post for his first collegiate goal, unassisted.

It looked as if the second stanza would go scoreless, before Franklin Pierce struck for a 2-1 lead in the final five seconds of the frame. From the right-wing corner, Fotiu pushed the puck back, along the wall. Senior forward David Wilcox (Stillwater, Maine) was there to pick the puck off the half-wall and fire a pass into the slot for a wide-open Jonathan Busolin (Goose Creek, S.C.). The sophomore defenseman did not miss, as he went to the far side from the edge of the right-wing circle for his third goal of the campaign.

The Ravens made it a two-goal game at 6:39 of the third period, as Morrissey provided what would ultimately stand as the game-winning goal. A 2-on-1 developed down low in the offensive end, with sophomore forward Cameron Shepardson (Albany, N.Y.) in possession of the puck on the left side. He slipped a pass across the low slot for Morrissey, who had an easy finish in front of the right post for his first goal of the season. Sophomore forward Alex Lester (Methuen, Mass.) added an assist on the play as well.

Stonehill used a two-man advantage to close back within a goal at the 9:59 mark. Junior defenseman Thomas Mahoney sent the puck towards the goal area from the left point. Sophomore forward Conor Cassidy got a stick to the puck at the bottom of the left circle and deflected it towards the left post, where Stark was on the scene at the top of the crease. Stark was initially stymied by Franklin Pierce senior goaltender Tom McGuckin (Clayton, N.J.), but then banged home his own rebound for his second goal of the night.

Franklin Pierce -- which came into the night just 1-for-21 on the power play -- cashed in on a late opportunity with the man-advantage to salt the game away. Shepardson had the initial shot on the play from the right side. Palmer made the save, but Fotiu was in front of the left post to clean up the rebound and create the 4-2 final. Lester picked up his second assist of the period as well, on Fotiu's second goal of the year.

McGuckin (1-3-0) finished with 30 saves against 32 shots on goal to pick up the win in net for Franklin Pierce. In the other crease, Palmer (1-2-1) stopped just 12 of 16 shots and suffered the loss for Stonehill.

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