WINCHENDON, Mass. (November 5, 2021) – A four-goals-against first period was only the beginning of the trouble on Friday night for Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey in the team's season opener at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. In action for the first time in 237 days, the Ravens did little to showcase any work they put in over the offseason, as they were outshot 18-5 in the opening period, surrendered 26 more shots in the second and were ultimately outshot 54-26, while on the receiving end of an 8-1 shellacking from visiting Southern New Hampshire. Junior George Thurston went for two goals and an assist to lead the Penmen in the Northeast-10 Conference opener for both squads.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce opens its 20^th season of varsity play at 0-1-0 (0-1-0 NE10), while SNHU improves to 1-1-0 (1-0-0 NE10). The two teams will meet for a weekend pair at SNHU in late January to wrap up the season series.

The Penmen blew the doors off things early, with a four-spot in the first, and never looked back. A power-play marker at 6:06 opened the scoring, as senior Alex Ring forced a turnover and then blistered a shot off the post and in from the top of the left circle, for his first goal of the season. Senior Joe Fiorino banged home a rebound out from at 13:51 for his second of the campaign, while senior Jake Cox took the shot himself on a 2-on-1 rush for his second of the year as well, at 17:00. Another rebound finish, this one on by junior Ryan Coady on the power play at 18:43, finished off an ugly first period for the Franklin Pierce defense.

The four goals spelled the end of the night for graduate student Ian Wallace (West Islip, N.Y.), who departed with 14 saves against 18 shots and would take the loss (0-1-0). He gave way to Adam Carman (Vestal, N.Y.) to start the second, though the change would do little to rally the defensive corps, as the Ravens allowed the senior to be peppered with 26 pucks in the second stanza.

Following the first intermission, SNHU made it 5-0 almost immediately. Thurston's first of the night was a rebound finish at the right post just 53 seconds into the frame. Thurston's second would come at the end of the period on the power play at 18:30, as he buried a centering feed from senior Cole Stewart. Sandwiched in between Thurston's goals came the Ravens' only goal of the contest, as a shorthanded 2-on-1 allowed sophomore Trevor Lawler (East Bridgewater, Mass.) to set up the first of the season for sophomore Cody Rumsey (York, Pa.), at 2:41.

As for Thurston, he continued to treat Jason Ritchie Ice Arena as his own personal playground. Then a freshman, he potted six goals in a pair of trips to Winchendon in 2019-20, including a four-goal outburst two years ago Monday, on Nov. 8, 2019. In all, Thurston now has nine points (8-1-9) over three road games at Franklin Pierce.

SNHU added a pair of goals in the third period to finish off the 8-1 drubbing of the Ravens, as freshman Jack Gray (3:17) and sophomore Jackson Aldrich (10:12) each scored their first collegiate goals.

Carman played the final two periods and piled up 32 saves against 36 shots in relief. Senior Adam Mercer (1-0-0) tended the SNHU net and stopped 25 of 26 shots to pick up the win.

The Ravens have little time to lick their wounds, as they will be right back in action on Saturday, when they travel to Stonehill for a 4:30 p.m. contest in Foxborough, Mass.