POTSDAM, N.Y. (January 11, 2020) – On the road for the third straight game to start the calendar year, the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team made it 3-for-3 in 2020 on Saturday afternoon, as the Ravens rolled up a 7-1 win over SUNY Potsdam. Junior forward Nicole Amato (Billerica, Mass.) and freshman forward Becca Kniss (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored twice each to lead Franklin Pierce in the non-conference victory at Maxcy Ice Arena. Amato's second goal of the day was her 50^th career goal, which made her just the second player in program history to reach that plateau.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 14-6-0, while SUNY Potsdam falls to 5-8-0.

It did not take Franklin Pierce long to get things started on Saturday, as the Ravens opened the scoring just 25 seconds in. Freshman defenseman Stefanie Caban (Fitchburg, Mass.) had the initial shot on the play from the left point, which wound up wide of the target after being tipped by junior forward Haley Parker (Londonderry, N.H.). The rebound came out high in the right circle, where senior defenseman Delaney Guimont (Bedford, N.H.) stepped into a shot and rocketed her third goal of the season into the top-right corner.

The eventual game-winner came at the 6:34 mark, after senior defenseman Bridgette Prentiss (Buffalo, N.Y.) held the puck in at the left point and pushed it into the middle of the zone for sophomore forward Bridget Fagan (Millis, Mass.). Fagan dropped the puck for Parker in the high slot and Parker quickly buried her 10^th of the year.

Potsdam cut the lead to 2-1 just 50 seconds later, at 7:24. Freshman forward Emily DellaNeve had her initial shot in the left circle blocked by Prentiss, but the rebound came right back to her stick. DellaNeve went top shelf for her second goal of the campaign.

Franklin Pierce reclaimed the two-goal lead before the intermission, on the first of the game for Kniss at 14:38. Freshman forward Reece Diener (McKinney, Texas) forced the turnover on the play, as Potsdam failed to clear its own end. Kniss took control near the blue line and used her speed to find an angle around the defense on the right-wing side. She snapped home her ninth of the year from the bottom of the right circle.

The Ravens were outshot 19-8 in the second period, but managed to cash in the only three goals of the frame, to balloon the lead to 6-1. Amato's first of the day came just 35 seconds in, as she forced a turnover while the Bears attempted to clear their own end. Parker gained control on the left wing and slipped a pass back to Amato at the top of the crease for the latter's eighth of the year.

Amato struck again at the 3:53 mark to cap an end-to-end rush for Franklin Pierce. Caban forced a turnover behind her own net, which allowed Guimont to collect the puck and fire a breakout pass ahead for Fagan. Fagan in turn found Amato at the offensive blue line. Amato then deked her way to the net and finished off her third multiple-goal game of the season. She became the second member of Franklin Pierce's 50-goal club, joining Karsyn Baker '16, who finished her career with 59 goals.

Kniss would match Parker for the team goal-scoring lead with her 10^th of the season at 19:18, as the Ravens took a 6-1 lead into the second intermission. Diener again forced the turnover, and this time worked the puck to freshman forward Cassidy Jones (Stillwater, Minn.) in the left-wing circle. Jones found a seam to slip a pass over to the right circle to Kniss for the one-time finish. It marked the first multiple-goal game for Kniss at the collegiate level.

Freshman forward Ava Kison (Eau Claire, Wis.) added her eighth goal of the season in an empty-net situation at 19:35 of the third period to create the 7-1 final.

Sophomore goaltender Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.) finished with 35 saves against 36 shots to pick up the win (10-6-0) in front of the Franklin Pierce net. Senior Alexa Pfeiffer (3-5-0) started at the other end, but did not last, as she made eight saves against 11 shots before being pulled after the third Franklin Pierce goal and ultimately suffered the loss. Fellow senior Kayla McCabe went the rest of the way in the Potsdam crease and stopped 24 of 27 shots.

The Ravens return to the ice on Friday, Jan. 17, when they wrap up an eight-game road trip with a non-conference contest at Plymouth State. Opening faceoff is set for 6 p.m. at Hanaway Rink in Plymouth, N.H.

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).