WINCHENDON, Mass. (October 30, 2021) -- After the power play went 0-for-4 on Friday night, the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team struck twice with the extra player on Saturday afternoon, to key a 3-2, bounce-back win over Saint Anselm at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Graduate student Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.) and junior Katelyn Brightbill (Silver Spring, Md.) had a goal and an assist apiece to lead the way for the Ravens in the New England Women's Hockey Alliance contest.

With the win, Franklin Pierce forces a split of the weekend home-and-home set and improves to 3-4-0 (1-1-0 NEWHA), while Saint Anselm falls to 2-6-0 (1-1-0 NEWHA). The two teams will meet for another home-and-home the final weekend of January.

The two teams traded goals in the first period on Saturday afternoon. Junior Becca Kniss (Eden Prairie, Minn.) opened things with a highlight-reel goal on the power play at 7:42, after she took possession of a failed clear attempt along the half-wall on the left-wing side. Kniss made her way down near the goal line, made a right turn, cut all the way out front and roofed a shot to the top-right corner for her third goal of the season.

Saint Anselm answered at 14:35. Along the goal line on the right side, freshman Tyra Turner took a feed from senior Erin Meyers and put it towards the net. A big rebound came into the slot for sophomore Brinna Martin, but Franklin Pierce sophomore goaltender Suzette Faucher (Middleton, Wis.) stopped the follow-up attempt as well. Third time was the charm for the Hawks though, as Turner eventually cleaned up the rebound out front to notch her first collegiate goal.

All the rest of the game's scoring would come in the second period. Franklin Pierce reclaimed the lead, on a 5-on-3 advantage, at 6:11. Freshman Geno Hendrickson (Warroad, Minn.) took a shot from the right-wing side, which was tipped out front by Massaro. The deflection was enough to let the puck squeak through Saint Anselm junior netminder Allie Kelley, and sit loose behind her in the crease. Brightbill dove in from the left side to finish off her first goal of the campaign.

The Ravens added an important insurance marker at 16:55, with Massaro wreaking havoc out front again. On the left side, Brightbill sent the puck to the point for junior Stefanie Caban (Fitchburg, Mass.), who let a shot fly from there. Massaro had the deflection out front to tally her second goal of the season and collect her 99^th career point (37-62-99).

Saint Anselm would get one back on the power play at 19:14. From the right side, sophomore Maddy McCaffrey sent the puck up high for freshman Madi Ressler, who quickly returned it to the right circle. McCaffrey took a shot from there and put a laser into the upper reaches of the net for her first career goal. Junior Devin Porazinski added an assist on the play as well.

The Hawks would get no closer though, as each side put seven shots on net in the third period, but neither could find another goal. Saint Anselm got Kelley to the net for the extra attacker over the final 70 seconds, but could not generate a shot, as the Ravens came away with the 3-2 victory.

Faucher (3-1-0) finished with 23 saves against 25 shots to pick up the win in the Franklin Pierce crease. Kelley (2-6-0) stopped 20 of 23 at the other end in a losing effort for Saint Anselm.

The Ravens head back to non-conference action next week, with a pair of home games on Nov. 5-6. Franklin Pierce will host Castleton at 4 p.m. on Friday, and University of New Hampshire at 3 p.m. on Saturday.