EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (12/9/22) – The Franklin Pierce women's hockey team had a 2-0 lead slip out of their hands, but were able to hold off Long Island University to a 2-2 deadlock on Friday afternoon at the Northwell Health Ice Center. Junior forward Jenna Ruiz (Webster, Wisconsin) claimed both goals on the night for Franklin Pierce, one of which came on the powerplay.

With the tie, the Ravens hold out at 7-8-2 (5-4-2 NEWHA) this season, while LIU extends their recent unbeaten streak to nine games in a row, moving to 10-6-1 (9-1-1 NEWHA).

The Ravens found themselves shorthanded just 2:53 into the first period, but managed to keep LIU off the board on their four shot power-play. It was shortly after the successful penalty kill that Pierce received their first man-advantage of the night, from which Jenna Ruiz tallied the evenings first goal on a snapshot from the left circle, with the assist going to Bethany Ross (Canton, Mich.). The power-play goal would be the only of the period, as Pierce would enter the second ahead 1-0.

Jenna Ruiz extended the Raven lead to 2-0 with 6:38 remaining in the second period, collecting a puck off the boards and sliding it around Sharks goaltender Tindra Holm, with assists from freshman McKenzie Rich (Rochester, Minn.) and senior Stephanie Caban (Fitchburg, Mass.). However, LIU's Ashley Morrow would answer the call on the powerplay just under a minute later, cutting the Pierce lead down to 2-1.

The Sharks were on a mission entering the third period, and promptly found what they were after just 4:44 into the frame, scoring the equalizer goal off a seeing-eye wrist shot from defender Alva Johnson, tying the game at 2-2. From there, the Sharks would attempt to keep the momentum with three shots on goal over the next minute and a half, but would fail to get the puck past Ravens netminder Jill Hertl (Highland Park, Ill.). Late in the action with 1:33 left to play, Pierce would find themselves a player down on a tripping call, providing the Sharks with a chance to steal the game. When all was said and done, Jill Hertl and the Raven penalty killers kept the Sharks at bay, taking the action to OT.

Neither team would find the net in the overtime period,  but the Sharks would hold a 4-2 shots advantage on the Ravens, finishing in the 2-2 draw.

Jill Hertl (6-4-2) turned away 29-of-31 shots faced in the effort for Pierce, while LIU's Tindra Holm made 23 saves on total 25 shots. The Ravens finished the evening 1-for-2 on the powerplay, and held the Sharks to 1-for-4 on the penalty kill.

The two teams will clash once more tomorrow afternoon, right back at the Northwell Health Ice Center to close out the weekend series for a 2:00 p.m. puck drop.