WINCHENDON, Mass. (October 1, 2022) -- The Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team was home at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena on Saturday night, for the first time since claiming the New England Women's Hockey Alliance title in March. This time around, it was an exhibition tilt for the Ravens, who welcomed international visitors, from the University of New Brunswick. Sophomore Mikayla Kelley (Eagan, Minn.) notched a goal and an assist, as Franklin Pierce posted a 3-1 victory.

After the first period went scoreless, the Ravens struck twice in the second period, to take a lead they would not relinquish. First, junior Emilie Prive (Morrisville, Vt.) set up Kelley, who had the initial shot on the play from the left circle. New Brunswick senior goaltender Hailey Martens made the first save, but freshman Avery Farrell (Otsego, Minn.) cleaned up the rebound at 14:46.

It took just 78 seconds to push the lead out to 2-0, on the night's highlight-reel goal. Freshman Memphis Mertens (Roseau, Minn.) had a laser of a finish from the left circle at 16:04, off an assist from senior Stefanie Caban (Fitchburg, Mass.).

Franklin Pierce would push the lead to 3-0 with a power-play tally early in the third. Working out of her own end, Prive sent the puck ahead for junior Jenna Ruiz (Webster, Wis.) in the neutral zone. Ruiz touched it off to the right for Kelley, who was steaming up the right wing. Kelley was able to carry into the right circle and snapped a shot home from there to make it a three-goal lead, at the 6:01 mark.

New Brunswick got one back in a delayed-penalty, extra-attacker situation at 16:27, to create the 3-1 final. The puck came towards the net from the right point and found a pair of seniors out front, in the form of Lillian George and Tamina Kehler. Both got a piece of the puck, which then popped free at the edge of the right circle for sophomore Payton Hargreaves. Hargreaves went back against the grain and put her shot into the top-left corner.

Both teams split up their goaltending duties on the night. For Franklin Pierce, junior Suzette Faucher (Middleton, Wis.) stopped all 19 shots on her goal over the first two periods to pick up the win. In the third period, freshman Jill Hertl (Highland Park, Ill.) made three stops on three shots over 9:58 in the crease, while fellow freshman Chasity Anderson (Bloomington, Minn.) made five saves against six shots over the final 10:02.

For New Brunswick, senior Kendra Woodland stopped all seven shots she faced in the first period. Martens made five saves against seven shots in the second and suffered the loss. Sophomore Cassie McCallum made three stops against four shots in the third period.

The Ravens have the upcoming week off, and are back in action with a two-game trip to St. Thomas (Minn.) on Oct. 14-15. Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. (ET) on Friday and 7 p.m. (ET) on Saturday at St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn.