WINCHENDON, Mass. (February 18, 2022) -- A power-play goal late in the second stood as the difference in a penalty-filled affair on Friday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team closed out the home portion of its schedule with a 3-1 win over Northeast-10 Conference foe Assumption at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Junior Dom Norris (Thurmont, Md.) cashed in a deflection for the game-winner, while senior Chris Stevenson (Arvada, Colo.) factored in on all three scores, with two goals and an assist.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 7-15-2 (4-9-2 NE10) and snaps a seven-game winless streak (0-5-2) with its first win of February. Win the loss, Assumption falls to 11-11-2 (8-6-1 NE10). The two teams will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Worcester Ice Center, for the final game of the regular season.

The two teams traded goals in the first period. Stevenson opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the season at the 15:46 mark, as he had a one-time finish at the right post, off of a cross-crease feed from the left by sophomore Cody Rumsey (York, Pa.). Assumption had the answer just under three minutes later, at 18:44, as senior Mike D'Ambrosio took a feed from freshman Ronny Paragallo on the left side, was denied on his initial shot but then put away his own rebound for his third of the season.

The fourth time was the charm for the Franklin Pierce power play in the second, as the Ravens' fourth man-advantage of the frame produced the eventual game-winner, at 14:49. From the right side, Stevenson sent the puck up high for junior Conor Foley (Nahant, Mass.). Foley took a shot through traffic from there, and the traffic paid off, as Norris deflected the puck home for his fifth of the season.

The majority of the third period went without further scoring, and then Assumption pulled its goaltender for the extra attacker, despite being shorthanded, inside the final minute. Stevenson would seal the deal with a clearance from his own end which ultimately trickled across the goal line before a chasing defender could get there, at 19:32, to create the 3-1 final.

Graduate student goaltender Ian Wallace (West Islip, N.Y.) all but stood on his head again, as he piled up 47 saves, against 48 shots, to pick up the win (4-7-2) for Franklin Pierce. Senior Drew Benedict (1-3-0) stopped 21 of 23 shots at the other end of the ice in the losing effort.

The two teams combined for 25 penalties totaling 61 minute on the afternoon. Franklin Pierce went 2-for-8 on the power play, while Assumption was 0-for-8. After a rough stretch where it conceded nine goals in just four games, the Franklin Pierce penalty kill has now surrendered just one goal in the team's last 20 times shorthanded.