NEW HAVEN, Conn. (February 4, 2020) – An empty-net goal to cap the scoring marked the 93^rd career point for senior forward Alex Lester (Methuen, Mass.) of the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team. The total makes the reigning Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year the program's all-time leading scorer (42-51-93), surpassing Roscoe Sweeney '13, who finished his career with 92 (37-55-92). The goal also served as the finishing touch on a non-conference win for the Ravens, who picked up a 4-1 victory over Albertus Magnus at Ralph Walker Skating Rink.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 12-9-3, while first-year program Albertus Magnus falls to 4-17-2.

After the first period went scoreless on Tuesday night in the Elm City, the Ravens cashed in the only two goals of the second period to take a lead they would not relinquish. First, sophomore forward Chris Stevenson (Arvada, Colo.) won possession in the left-wing corner, worked the puck to fellow sophomore forward Anthony Nikolopoulos (Burlington, Mass.) and then headed for the front of the net. Nikolopoulos fired from the high slot, but missed the target. The rebound came off the end wall to the right post, where Stevenson quickly popped it home for his 14^th of the season at the 10:56 mark.

Stevenson returned the favor just over four minutes later, as he started the play on Nikolopoulos' eighth of the year, which would stand as the game-winning goal. Stevenson took the original shot on the play, from the high slot, which was saved. The rebound came to the right side, for graduate student forward Sam Gagnon (Montreal, Quebec), who brushed it across the top of the crease to Nikolopoulos for the easy one-time finish at 15:02.

Much of the third period went without scoring, until Albertus Magnus cut the gap to 2-1 with a power-play tally at 16:43. Freshman defenseman Harley Michaels put the puck towards the net from the top of the left circle, and it was deflected home just below the hash marks by freshman forward Dino Antoniadis. Freshman forward Cameron Weitzman added an assist as well on Antoniadis' second of the campaign.

Franklin Pierce would seal the deal with a pair of empty-net tallies in the final 90 seconds. Gagnon notched his fourth goal of the season, unassisted, at 18:36. Lester then capped things with the record-breaking goal at 19:30, off an assist from sophomore forward Ryan Gorbett (Cleveland Heights, Ohio).

Sophomore goaltender Adam Carman (Vestal, N.Y.) stopped 34 of 35 shots in the Franklin Pierce net to pick up his first collegiate win. Freshman netminder Pierce Diamond (4-16-2) stopped 31 of 33 shots at the other end in a losing effort for Albertus Magnus.

The Ravens return to the ice on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8, when they travel to Post for a two-game NE10 weekend series. Opening faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday at Sports Center of Connecticut in Shelton, Conn.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (https://www.fpuravens.com). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce ice hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (https://www.shopfpuravens.com).