EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (12/11/2022) – Things looked a little worse for ware for the Franklin Pierce men's hockey team on Sunday evening, as host Long Island University (LIU) took care of business at the Northwell Health Ice Center, claiming the weekend series sweep over the Ravens by a 9-2 final score.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce drops to 8-7 (5-3 NE10), as LIU improves to 6-10-1 on the season while riding a three-game winning streak.

LIU held complete control of the first period action with five total goals scored, but it was the Ravens that struck the first blow. Graduate forward Anthony Nikolopoulos (Burlington, Mass.) found the back of the net, unassisted to give Pierce their first lead of the series at 1-0. However, a little over a minute later, LIU's Isaiah Fox tied the game up 1-1, which was then followed by a goal from Riley Wallack just 17 seconds after to suddenly put the lead in the Sharks favor, 2-1. The pair of quick goals provided LIU with the spark they needed as Fox picked up his second goal of the evening on the powerplay, making it 3-1 LIU with 11:37 to play. Forward Jordan Di Cicco continued the offensive clinic with an unassisted goal, before Jack Quinn got the final say to make it 5-1 LIU heading into the second period.   

For Pierce, the second provided little relief following the first  as LIU continued to pour it on with three more goals. To make matters worse for Pierce, At the 4:36 mark of the frame, sophomore forward Michael Flaherty (Rockland, Massachusetts) received a five-minute major for contact to the head, and as such additionally received a ten-minute game misconduct. On the ensuing powerplay for LIU,  Riley Wallack collected his second of the night, making it a 7-1 contest. Sharks' Austin Brimmer would also add to the LIU onslaught at 11:37 of the period, capping the second period offense at 8-1.  

Through the third period, the game was well out of reach for Pierce. Sophomore forward Ryan Bailey (Atlanta, Georgia) managed a second goal for the Ravens at 11:00 of the final frame, but that would be it in the 9-2 loss. Through the weekend, LIU outscored Franklin Pierce by a total of 15-3. 

Goaltender Jeremy Connor (Hazlet, New Jersey) got nod in net for the Ravens, making 24 saves against 32 shots faced in the loss. Brogan McDonald (Gorham, Maine) stepped in to relieve Connor midway through the second period, stopping 27-of-28 shots. For the Sharks, Brandon Perrone played through the first two periods making four saves on five shots, collecting the win for LIU. Jan Skorpik relieved Perrone in the third period, making six saves against seven shots. In the contest, LIU outshot Franklin Pierce 60-12. 

The Franklin Pierce men's hockey team will close out the first half of the 2022-2023 season after the first of the year on Saturday, January 7 on the road against Suffolk, with puck drop at 6:50 p.m.