Women’s Ice Hockey Set to Host NEWHA Tournament
RINDGE, N.H. (March 3, 2022) -- After earning the top seed for the first time in program history, the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team is set to host the semifinal and final rounds of the New England Women's Hockey Alliance Tournament on Friday and Saturday at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena in Winchendon. Semifinal games are set for 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, with the championship contest to follow at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Franklin Pierce, which had a first-round bye, will take on fourth-seeded Sacred Heart in Friday's 3 p.m. contest, after the Pioneers took care of fifth-seeded Post, 5-2, at home in Tuesday's opening round. At 7 p.m., it will be the second-seeded Sharks of Long Island University against third-seeded Saint Anselm in the second semifinal, after the latter secured a 2-1 win on home ice over sixth-seeded Saint Michael's on Tuesday.
Tickets will be available on-site each day at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, and $5 for children, students and senior citizens. Friday's tickets will allow admission to both semifinal contests.
Live video will be available for all three games of the tournament at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/franklinpierce/
Live stats will be available for all three games as well. Links can be found at https://www.newhaonline.com/composite
Franklin Pierce (20-9-1, 16-4-0 NEWHA) locked up the top seed on the final day of the regular season, by grinding out a 1-0 win at Sacred Heart. The Ravens were in position to do so thanks in large part to a program-record 11-game winning streak, which spanned from Dec. 11 through Feb. 19. The crimson and grey are backstopped by the NEWHA Goaltender of the Year, sophomore Suzette Faucher (Middletown, Wis.) (1.11 GAA, .957 SV%), and skippered by the NEWHA Coach of the Year, David Stockdale. Franklin Pierce is 11-1-0 since the semester break and 12-1-1 on home ice this season, including a perfect 7-0-0 at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena in the second half.
LIU (17-14-3, 15-3-2 NEWHA) closed its campaign on a four-game winning streak against Saint Michael's and Post, but prior to that was just 1-3-2 against NEWHA competition in the second half. The Sharks more than made up for it with their 10-0-0 start to league play before the semester break, and ultimately finished tied at the top of the standings with Franklin Pierce, which claimed the top seed via tiebreaker. LIU is led by a trio of All-NEWHA Second Team picks: junior Megan Bouveur (16-16-32), junior Carrigan Umpherville (12-14-26) and freshman goaltender Tindra Holm (1.95 GAA, .934 SV%).
Saint Anselm (15-12-3, 11-6-3 NEWHA) finished the regular season on a four-game winning streak and has won seven of its last eight after Tuesday's first-round win, as part of a 9-2-2 second half. The perennial-contender Hawks stumbled to a 3-4-1 start to NEWHA play before the semester break, but have rounded into something closer to their usual form after the holidays. Saint Anselm boasts the NEWHA Rookie of the Year in freshman Tyra Turner (14-14-28).
Sacred Heart (16-14-2, 10-8-2 NEWHA) has had something of a reversed story to its season compared to Saint Anselm, as the Pioneers went into the semester break at 5-2-1 in NEWHA play. SHU piled 12 league games into the back half of the season, but went just 5-6-1, including a pair of costly losses to the Hawks, to sink to fourth place. Still, the senior-heavy Pioneers are dangerous, led by the NEWHA Player of the Year, senior Anna Klein (14-22-36), and the NEWHA Defender of the Year, senior Kelly Solak (9-12-21, +24).
Head-to-head, Franklin Pierce split four games with LIU, with each team winning twice at home, and went 3-1-0 against both Saint Anselm and Sacred Heart. For its part, LIU went 3-0-1 against Sacred Heart and 2-1-1 against Saint Anselm. Saint Anselm posted a 2-1-1 record in its four games against Sacred Heart. Franklin Pierce is 6-0-0 on home ice against the other three teams this season.
2022 NEWHA Tournament
(Seeds in parentheses)
Tuesday, March 1 - First Round
Game 1: (6) Saint Michael's at (3) Saint Anselm - Saint Anselm wins, 2-1
Game 2: (5) Post at (4) Sacred Heart - Sacred Heart wins, 5-2
Remainder of tournament hosted by Franklin Pierce University
Jason Ritchie Ice Arena
Winchendon, Mass.
Friday, March 4 - Semifinals
Game 3: Sacred Heart at (1) Franklin Pierce - 3 p.m.
Game 4: Saint Anselm vs. (2) LIU - 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 5 - Championship
Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner - 7 p.m.