Women’s Ice Hockey Eases Past Nichols, 5-0

WINCHENDON, Mass. (February 8, 2019) – The defense of the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team was hardly challenged on Friday afternoon, as the Ravens held visiting Nichols to just nine shots on goal in a non-conference contest at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Franklin Pierce collected 39 shots of its own and got goals from five different players on the way to a 5-0 win on home ice.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 16-9-1, while Nichols falls to 12-8-3.

The first period went scoreless, though it was all Franklin Pierce, to the tune of an 11-0 advantage in shots on goal. The Ravens would ultimately break through with three goals in the final five minutes of the second period, as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never looked back.

At the 16:13 mark, sophomore forward Nicole Amato (Billerica, Mass.) had her shot saved, but the rebound wound up loose between the hash marks. Freshman forward Stephanie Proteau (Wolcott, Conn.) was first on the scene and buried the rebound for her third goal of the season, while sophomore forward Emily Kramer (Rockville, Md.) added an assist as well.

The Ravens then cashed in a power-play goal at 18:35, after working the puck around the perimeter. From the left side, sophomore defenseman Hayley Doneghey (North Attleborough, Mass.) sent it to the middle of the blue line for sophomore forward Haley Parker (Londonderry, N.H.), who swung it around to the right circle for junior defenseman Bridgette Prentiss (Buffalo, N.Y.). Prentiss stepped into a big one-time attempt from there and put home her eighth of the season, as the puck rang off the far post and ricocheted into the net.

Just 14 seconds later, Franklin Pierce would make it 3-0, at 18:49. Junior forward Meg Gilbride (Braintree, Mass.) had the initial shot on the rush, which was turned aside, and Amato tracked down the loose puck behind the goal line on the right side. Amato immediately slipped a pass back out to the top of the right circle for junior defenseman Katie Neuburger (Fayetteville, N.Y.), who drifted into the slot and put away her second goal of the year.

Two more goals in the latter half of the third period created the 5-0 final. First, Parker led a 2-on-1 into the offensive end on the left side before sliding a centering pass into the middle for sophomore forward Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.). The feed left Massaro all alone against the goaltender, and she slipped a shot between the pads of sophomore Abby Bassett for her 10^th goal of the campaign.

Finally, a power-play marker at 19:30 capped the scoring. Kramer took a shot from the right circle, which was deflected, and the puck wound up popping free to junior defenseman Delaney Guimont (Bedford, N.H.) in the middle of the left circle. Guimont did not miss from there and finished off her fifth of the season, while Proteau added an assist as well, to finish off a two-point afternoon.

Freshman goaltender Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.) was not forced into much work for her seventh shutout and 11^th win of the season (11-5-1), as she needed stop only nine shots. Bassett (1-2-0) piled up 34 saves against 39 shots in a losing effort in the Nichols crease.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Feb. 9, when they travel to Anna Maria for a non-conference contest. Opening faceoff is set for 1 p.m. at New England Sports Center in Marlborough, 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).