WINCHENDON, Mass. (November 9, 2021) -- Things got off to a slow start on Tuesday night at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena, as the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team and Rivier combined for just 10 shots in a sleepy first period. Ultimately, a pair of second-period tallies, plus an empty-net goal late in the third, were enough for Rivier to chalk up a 3-1 win over the host Ravens in non-conference play. Senior Ryan Gorbett (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) scored his third goal in two games in defeat for Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 0-3-0, while Rivier improves to 3-2-0 to open its inaugural season.

Both teams left the offense in the locker room to start the game, as each put five shots on net and nothing on the scoreboard in an uneventful first stanza. Rivier stepped on the gas at the start of what would be a 19-shot second frame, and the Raiders struck twice in the opening five-and-a-half minutes.

First, freshman Ashton Jones took control of a turnover in the right-wing corner and flipped a centering pass out front for fellow freshman Milan Breczko, who notched his third of the season at 4:51. Just 39 seconds later, another turnover wound up in the back of the Franklin Pierce net, as sophomore Hunter Phillips poke-checked the puck free for freshman Shane Murphy at the bottom of the left circle. It would be the latter's first collegiate goal, at 5:30.

Franklin Pierce got one back heading into the second intermission, at 16:59, this time as the beneficiary of a Rivier turnover. Junior Conor Foley (Nahant, Mass.) claimed the puck behind the net and fed it out front into what was effectively a 2-on-0 situation amid the scrambling Raiders' defense. Junior Jason Ladzinski (Norcross, Ga.) took the pass at the bottom of the right circle and quickly swept it across the top of the crease for Gorbett, who banged home his third of the season at the bottom of the left circle.

The Ravens would get no closer though, and only put five shots on goal in the final period, as they were outshot 33-18 on the night. Freshman Ryan Nolte provided the capper, as he found the empty net from his own blue line, off an assist from freshman Nicolas Paolucci, at 19:05 of the third period to create the 3-1 final, with his second of the year.

Graduate student Ian Wallace (West Islip, N.Y.) finished with 30 saves against 32 shots on goal and suffered the loss (0-2-0) in the Franklin Pierce net. Freshman LJ Newell (3-0-0) stopped 17 of 18 shots at the other end of the ice for Rivier.

The Ravens are right back at it on Thursday, Nov. 11, when they host Worcester State in a non-conference tilt at 7 p.m.