Special teams was the name of the game in the second period on Friday night, as the Franklin Pierce University women’s ice hockey team opened its 2016-17 season with a trip to Saint Anselm and Sullivan Arena. Each team scored twice in the frame, and the two sides combined for three power-play goals in the stanza. After the raucous second gave way to a quiet third, Saint Anselm’s lone first-period goal would stand as the difference, as the Hawks pulled out a 3-2 win in New England Hockey Conference play.
With the loss, Franklin Pierce opens its season at 0-1-0 (0-1-0 NEHC), while Saint Anselm begins the campaign at 1-0-0 (1-0-0 NEHC).
Shannon O’Neil (0-1-0) finished with 36 saves against 39 shots on goal in net for Franklin Pierce. At the other end of the ice, Synnott (1-0-0) collected 16 saves against 18 shots for Saint Anselm.
Brigitte Prentice and Marissa Ketterman scored for FPU.