Women’s Ice Hockey Completes Weekend Barrage, Buries Post, 8-1

WINCHENDON, Mass. (October 12, 2019) – The Franklin Pierce University women's ice hockey team poured in eight more goals on Saturday night, to make it 17 over the course of a two-game weekend sweep of visiting Post at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Senior forward Kelsey Holmes (Warwick, R.I.) scored twice, while freshman defenseman Stefanie Caban (Fitchburg, Mass.) notched a goal and three assists, as the Ravens rolled to an 8-1 win in New England Women's Hockey Alliance play. Caban and freshman forward Ava Kison (Eau Claire, Wis.) each notched their first career goals for the Ravens in the victory.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 2-1-0 (2-0-0 NEWHA), while Post falls to 0-4-0 (0-4-0 NEWHA). The two teams will meet again for a weekend series at Post on Feb. 14-15 to round out the regular season.

Franklin Pierce put home the only two goals of the first period to open up a 2-0 lead the team would never relinquish. Senior defenseman Delaney Guimont (Bedford, N.H.) opened the scoring at the 8:26 mark, as she picked the top corner from the top of the right circle. Caban notched the first of her three helpers, with a feed from the middle of the blue line.

At 10:02, the Ravens picked up the first of four power-play goals on the night (4-for-7). From the point, freshman defenseman Bethany Ross (Canton, Mich.) sent the puck into the left circle for junior forward Haley Parker (Londonderry, N.H.). Parker slipped a centering feed into the slot for sophomore defenseman Kiki Doucette (Bridgewater, Mass.), who put a low shot inside the right post for her first goal of the season.

Franklin Pierce used a four-goal second period to stretch the lead out to 6-0 and put the game on ice, beginning with a pair of power-play tallies. At 3:52, directly off of a faceoff win by junior forward Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.), Caban put a shot untouched through traffic and into the back of the net for her first collegiate goal. Caban then added her second assist of the night at 11:52, as she set up senior defenseman Bridgette Prentiss (Buffalo, N.Y.) for a shot from the right point. Prentiss' shot was tipped at the top of the crease by Kison, who picked up her first career goal on the redirection.

A pair of goals just 24 seconds apart added to the lead prior to the intermission. At the 18:13 mark, freshman forward Reece Diener (McKinney, Texas) banged home a rebound at the left post for her second goal in as many nights. Moments later, at 18:37, Holmes salted away a loose puck from between the hash marks for her first score of the season.

Caban's third assist of the night -- to cap her four-point outing (1-3-4) -- came at 9:13 of the third, as her shot from the left point was deflected home by Holmes for the latter's second of the night.

Post got its only goal of the two-game series at the 14:34 mark, with a power-play tally. Freshman defenseman Jenna Abeyta sent the puck across the blue line to fellow freshman defenseman Emily Racco, who let a shot fly from the right point. Racco's shot was wide of the target to the right side, but the rebound off the end boards came back out to the left post for freshman forward Madison Turley, who put away her first career goal from there.

Franklin Pierce capped the scoring on the power play at 17:09. Prentiss, who had a team-leading seven power-play goals a year ago, notched her second power-play tally in as many games, as she worked her way into the slot and put a backhand shot past Post sophomore goaltender Kristin Smith. Diener and freshman forward Katelyn Brightbill (Annville, Pa.) picked up assists on the play, with the latter notching her fifth assist of the weekend series.

Franklin Pierce senior goaltender Jessica Strack (Reading, Mass.) made 16 saves against 17 shots on goal to pick up the win (1-0-0) in the crease for Franklin Pierce. Smith (0-1-0) stopped 32 of 40 shots at the other end of the ice in a losing effort for Post.

The Ravens are off next weekend and return to the ice for an exhibition game at Massachusetts Boston on Friday, Oct. 25. Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. at Edward T. Barry Ice Rink in Boston.

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).