Sweeney, Shortt tally goal, assist; O'Brien makes 31 saves

RINDGE, N.H. (February 12, 2011) – Sophomore forward Roscoe Sweeney (Falmouth, Mass.) and junior forward Pat Shortt (New Haven, Conn.) collected a goal and an assist apiece in the second period on Saturday night to lead the Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Assumption in Northeast-10 Conference play at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. With the victory, Franklin Pierce clinched a home game in the quarterfinal round of the upcoming Northeast-10 Conference Championship.

With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 6-17-0 (5-4-0 Northeast-10), while Assumption falls to 9-13-0 (4-5-0 Northeast-10). The victory clinched the three-game season series for the Ravens, earning them two points in the Northeast-10 standings. The game was part of a day-long Breast Cancer Awareness Day for the Franklin Pierce Department of Athletics. Donations were collected at the day's basketball and hockey games to benefit the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Kingsbury Pavilion in Keene, N.H.

In a game which featured only three goals and eight penalties, all the scoring came in the second period. Sweeney opened the scoring at the 2:39 mark of the middle stanza when he knocked home his own rebound for his team-leading 14th goal of the season. Shortt and freshman forward Bryan Colella (Medfield, Mass.) picked up the assists. Less than four minutes later, the Ravens made it 2-0 with a shorthanded goal. Sweeney forced a turnover between the circles in the defensive end and sent a pass into the neutral zone that sprung Shortt on a breakaway the other way. Shortt deked around Assumption junior goaltender Nick Blanchette to score his seventh of the season, and the eventual game-winner, at the 6:17 mark.

Assumption struck for a shorthanded goal at 17:44 to create the 2-1 final. Franklin Pierce was threatening shorthanded again, but a big rebound off a Blanchette save sprung Assumption junior forward Taylor Larsen on a rush down the right side. He snapped home a wrist shot from the top of the right circle for his team-leading 15th goal of the season, while Blanchette and junior defenseman Kevin Glanzman contributed the assists.

Freshman goaltender Dave O'Brien (Groton, Mass.) made 31 saves to pick up the win (6-5-0) in net for Franklin Pierce. Blanchette made 26 saves and took the loss (8-7-0) between the pipes for Assumption.

Assumption posted a 32-28 advantage in shots on goal on the night and went 1-for-5 on the power play, but surrendered a shorthanded goal along the way. Franklin Pierce finished 0-for-3 with the man-advantage.

The Ravens return to the ice on Wednesday, Feb. 16, when they make the return trip to Assumption for a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. at Buffone Rink in Worcester, Mass. Franklin Pierce will host a game in the quarterfinal round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship on Feb. 26 at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena, with the time and opponent to be determined.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). 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).