WORCESTER, Mass. (February 26, 2022) -- For Assumption, it was some manner of revenge. For the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team, it was simply heartbreak after a hard-fought comeback. Much as they had two years ago in the 2020 semifinal round, the Ravens erased a deficit on Saturday night at Worcester Ice Center, in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship, as they rallied from a 3-0 hole to force overtime. This time though, it was third-seeded Assumption which would celebrate, as senior Robert Holyoke buried a shot on the rush at 9:11 of the extra session to deal sixth-seeded Franklin Pierce a 4-3, season-ending defeat. Graduate student goaltender Ian Wallace (West Islip, N.Y.) capped his career with one final 40-save outing and established a new program record for career saves (1969) in the process, as he surpassed the 1940 of Tom McGuckin '18.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce sees its season come to a close at 8-16-2. Assumption improves to 14-12-2, and will host Stonehill in a Tuesday semifinal, after the seventh-seeded Skyhawks scored a 5-4, overtime win on the road at second-seeded Saint Anselm.

Trailing 3-0 midway through the second on Saturday, Franklin Pierce went to work in the back half of the game. The comeback trail started on the power play at the 11:15 mark of the second, after junior Connor Foley (Nahant, Mass.) took a shot from the high slot, which was deflected on net by senior Chris Stevenson (Arvada, Colo.). Assumption graduate student goaltender David Altman made the initial save, but Stevenson -- who had played overtime hero in the 2020 game -- quickly converted his own rebound at the left post for his ninth of the season.

The Ravens pulled within one with just 7.3 seconds remaining before the second intermission. After Stevenson and sophomore Trevor Lawler (East Bridgewater, Mass.) combined to create a scoring chance, a rebound squirted free to Foley at the bottom of the left circle. Foley had a tough angle on the shot, but managed to thread the needle between Altman and the left post to put the puck inside the far post for his team-leading 13^th of the campaign.

Foley would complete the comeback effort with a power-play marker at 9:32 of the third. On the right side, sophomore Cody Rumsey (York, Pa.) got the puck to Stevenson, who sent it up high for Foley. Foley put a shot through traffic from there and clealny picked the top-right corner to level the score at 3-3.

Unlike the game in 2020, Assumption was able to regroup after giving up the lead and found the winner in the extra session. Leading a 2-on-1 rush into the offensive end on the left side, Holyoke took care of things himself. From the middle of the left circle, he picked the top-left corner, over the blocker shoulder of Wallace, to set off the Assumption celebration with his 13^th of the year, at 9:11.

Earlier in the day, Assumption built a 3-0 lead in less than 22 minutes of action. Junior Colin Philippon opened the scoring just 3:16 into the proceedings, with his 11^th of the season. Freshman Ronny Paragallo followed up with his sixth of the year at 10:34 of the first, as he took a feed from Holyoke and then went top shelf from the middle of the right circle. At 1:38 of the second, senior Michael Zampanti had the finish out front for his third of the year.

Wallace (5-8-2) finished with 40 saves against 44 shots in his collegiate finale. It marked his third outing of 40 or more saves on the season (1-1-1), and the eighth of his career (3-3-2).

Altman (10-6-2) stopped 28 of 31 shots at the other end of the ice to pick up the win for Assumption.