WINCHENDON, Mass. (October 11, 2019) – Game pucks were in high demand on Friday night, as three members of the Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team notched their first goal in a Ravens uniform in the team's home opener. Meanwhile, junior forward Nicole Amato (Billerica, Mass.) struck twice, and added an assist for good measure, to key a 9-0 win for the Ravens over visiting Post in New England Women's Hockey Alliance play at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Freshmen forwards Reece Diener (McKinney, Texas) and Becca Kniss (Eden Prairie, Minn.) each notched their first collegiate goal for the Ravens, while sophomore forward Bridget Fagan (Millis, Mass.) put home her first Franklin Pierce goal after transferring in from Southern Maine.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 1-1-0 (1-0-0 NEWHA), while Post falls to 0-3-0 (0-3-0 NEWHA). It marked Franklin Pierce's first victory as a Division I program.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday in Winchendon to wrap up the two-game weekend series. Opening faceoff is set for 6 p.m.

The goals game early and they came often for the Ravens on Friday night. Things got started at the 6:02 mark of the first period, with the first of four power-play markers on the night (4-for-9). Senior defenseman Bridgette Prentiss (Buffalo, N.Y.) deftly picked the top corner from the right circle, off of a feed from the middle of the blue line by freshman defenseman Stefanie Caban (Fitchburg, Mass.).

Two goals in quick succession late in the frame made it 3-0 headed into the first intermission. At 18:15, Diener finished off a rebound at the right post for her first collegiate goal, while freshman forward Katelyn Brightbill (Annville, Pa.) (0-3-3) and Prentiss (1-2-3) -- each of who had three-point nights -- added the assists. Just 59 seconds later, at 19:14, junior forward Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.) stuffed a puck into the right side of the net after a battle out front. Kniss deflected a clearance attempt to start the play, while sophomore defenseman Kiki Doucette (Bridgewater, Mass.) added an assist as well by keeping the puck in at the left point and finding Massaro in front of the net.

Franklin Pierce poured it on in the second period, as a five-goal frame, which included a trio of power-play markers, broke the game wide open. Amato started things with her first of the night just 45 seconds into the stanza, as she had the finish on a rebound at the left post, while freshman forward Ava Kison (Eau Claire, Wis.) notched her first career point with an assist.

The Ravens then added back-to-back-to-back power-play goals over a span of just 4:14 to push the lead all the way out to 7-0. At 4:20, junior forward Haley Parker (Londonderry, N.H.) snapped a shot home from the left circle. At 7:33, on a two-man advantage, Kniss popped the puck into the top shelf from just outside the crease on the right side for her first career score. At 8:34, sophomore defenseman Carolyn Drowne (Bridgewater, Mass.) put a shot through traffic from the top of the right circle that was deflected by the Post defense en route and wound up in the back of the net.

The Drowne goal would chase the Post starting goaltender, sophomore Kaitlyn Daly, from the net in favor of senior Jenna Baumgartner, who went the rest of the way between the pipes.

She was greeted rudely, at the 10:40 mark, as Amato scored one of the night's highlight-reel goals. Weaving her way through the defense, Amato made her way to the front of the net, then deked her way around Baumgartner toward the right post and salted away a backhand shot to complete her two-goal and three-point (2-1-3) night.

The only goal of the third period was the first goal in a Franklin Pierce uniform for Fagan, who capped the nine-goal outburst at 7:46. She put away a rebound at the left post, while her whole line got in on the action, as Brightbill and Diener provided the helpers.

Sophomore goaltender Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.) stopped all 19 shots on her goal to pick up the win (1-1-0) and her ninth career shutout for Franklin Pierce. Daly (0-2-0) made 20 saves against 27 shots over the opening 28:34 and suffered the loss in the Post net. Baumgartner collected 19 saves against 21 shots the rest of the way, as Franklin Pierce finished the night with a 48-19 advantage in shots.

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).