Haley Parker

Women’s Ice Hockey Bounces Back with 2-0 Win at Sacred Heart

SHELTON, Conn. (November 17, 2018) – A day after dropping yet another one-goal loss to Sacred Heart, the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team left nothing to chance on Saturday afternoon at Sports Center of Connecticut. The Ravens surrendered no goals – their first-ever shutout of the Pioneers – on the way to a 2-0 victory, to forge a weekend split on the road in New England Women's Hockey Alliance play. In just her second career start, freshman goaltender Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.) stopped all 30 shots she faced to earn her first collegiate shutout.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 6-4-0 (4-4-0 NEWHA) and snapped a nine-game winless skid (0-6-3) in the series against Sacred Heart. With the loss, Sacred Heart falls to 7-4-1 (3-2-1 NEWHA). The two teams will conclude their four-game season series at Franklin Pierce on Feb. 1-2.

Much like Friday afternoon, neither team could find the net in a scoreless period. Franklin Pierce was held to just three shots in the second period, but also put home the stanza's only goal, with a power-play marker at the 11:57 mark. Sophomore forward Haley Parker (Londonderry, N.H.) struck for her first power-play goal of the season – her seventh goal of the campaign overall – while junior defenseman Delaney Guimont (Bedford, N.H.) and sophomore forward Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.) provided the assists.

Franklin Pierce was outshot 12-3 in the second period, which accounted for the 30-22 margin in Sacred Heart's favor over the course of the game. The Ravens tightened things up in the third period to nail down the victory, as they held the Pioneers to nine shots in the final frame. Franklin Pierce would pop home an important insurance marker prior to the midpoint of the period. Sophomore forward Nicole Amato (Billerica, Mass.) struck for an unassisted tally at 8:33, for her team-leading eighth goal of the year.

Franklin Pierce would kill a penalty shortly thereafter and go on to the 2-0 victory. It was the third successful kill in as many tries on the day for a Franklin Pierce shorthanded unit which is clicking along at 92.7% (38-for-41) on the season.

Ostrander (1-1-0) stopped all 30 shots on her goal to notch her first collegiate win, as well as the fourth shutout of the season for Franklin Pierce. Freshman goaltender Frankie Sanchez (1-3-0) finished with 20 saves against 22 shots in a losing effort for Sacred Heart.

The Ravens have the Thanksgiving week off and return to the ice on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, when they return home to host Morrisville State in a two-game non-conference season. Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena in Winchendon.

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).