Women’s Ice Hockey Rolls to Weekend Sweep with 6-1 Win over SUNY Potsdam

WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 5, 2019) – Sophomore forward Haley Parker (Londonderry, N.H.) matched her career high with four points, on two goals and two assists, on Saturday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team finished off a weekend sweep of visiting SUNY Potsdam. Junior defenseman Bridgette Prentiss (Buffalo, N.Y.) added two goals of her own, including the game-winner, as the Ravens notched a 6-1, non-conference win at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 10-7-0, while SUNY Potsdam falls to 4-7-2.

The Ravens cashed in the only goal of the first period on Saturday and took the lead for good at the 3:23 mark. Junior defenseman Katie Neuburger (Fayetteville, N.Y.) took a long shot from the left point, which may have tipped off the defense on its way to the net. Either way, it wound up as Neuburger's first goal of the season, with assists credited to junior forward Meg Gilbride (Braintree, Mass.) and Parker.

The two teams then traded power-play markers early in the second period. Just 60 seconds into the frame, Prentiss tallied her first of the day, and fourth of the campaign, with a long shot which slipped cleanly through traffic from the middle of the blue line. Parker and sophomore forward Nicole Amato (Billerica, Mass.) picked up the assists. Potsdam cut the lead to 2-1 at the 4:11 mark, with a 5-on-3 goal. Freshman forward Ellie Cleary threw the puck out front from the goal line near the left-wing corner, and it wound up deflecting into the back of the net for her third goal of the year. Senior forward Rylie Murray and junior defenseman Delphine Léonard tacked on the assists on the Bears' only goal of the day.

Franklin Pierce picked up a goal in a 4-on-4 situation at 5:21 to make it 3-1. Amato sprung Parker on a breakaway, and the latter deked her way to the left post for the forehand finish on her 10^th goal of the season.

The Ravens put home a trio of insurance markers in the third period to break the game open and create the 6-1 final. First, freshman forward Jazmyne Beck (Kalispell, Mont.) finished off a rush up the ice with a shot from the right-wing circle for her third of the season at 4:45, off of assists from junior forward Alli Sugar (Canton, Conn.) and junior defenseman Kelsey Holmes (Warwick, R.I.). Later, at 16:17, Prentiss went to the top shelf with a backhand from the bottom of the right circle for an unassisted tally to cap her two-point day. Finally, on the power play at 18:37, Parker finished off a rebound at the left post to wrap up the scoring, while Gilbride and sophomore forward Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.) picked up the helpers.

Freshman goaltender Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.) made 25 saves against 26 shots to pick up the win (5-3-0) in front of the Franklin Pierce net. Sophomore netminder Samantha White (1-4-1) stopped 27 of 33 shots in the losing effort for SUNY Potsdam.

The Ravens return to the ice on Tuesday, Jan. 8, when they travel to Suffolk for a non-conference contest. Opening faceoff is set for 6 p.m. at Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink in East Boston, Mass. 

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 hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (https://www.fpuravens.com/store).