In what was a 1-0 game through 45 minutes, the third period turned into a goal bonanza at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena on Saturday night. The Franklin Pierce University men’s ice hockey team struck twice, but No. 8 nationally ranked Hamilton countered with three goals of its own, as the latter came away with a 4-2 victory in non-conference play.
With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 7-12-1, while Hamilton improves to 12-2-2.
Hamilton opened the scoring with the only goal of the first two frames, on a power-play marker at the 6:30 mark of the first.
After the remainder of the first and the entirety of the second went without another goal, Hamilton kicked off the scoring in a wild third period at the 5:29 mark, to make it 2-0.
Franklin Pierce halved the deficit less than three minutes later, at 8:13. Junior forward Jonathan Haun controlled the puck and brought it into the offensive end on a rush on the left side. Haun cut to his right, into the high slot and pulled the trigger on a wrist shot. The shot was deflected by the stick of the defenseman on the scene, and the puck wound up in the top-right corner, over the shoulder of Hamilton senior goaltender Charlie Fennell. Senior forward Connor Mauro had the lone assist on Haun’s fifth of the year.
Hamilton had the immediate answer just 27 seconds later, pushing the lead back to 3-1 at the 8:40 mark.
Franklin Pierce again cut the gap to one goal as time began to wind down, making it a 3-2 game at 16:05. Freshman forward Alex Lester sent a shot through traffic from the top of the right circle. Fennell was likely screened on the play, as the shot appeared to beat him cleanly from distance. Assists came from sophomore forwards Lucas Luppino and Nate Indelicato on Lester’s fourth score of the year.
Franklin Pierce pulled junior goaltender Tom McGuckinin favor of an extra attacker in the final minutes, but it would lead only to Hamilton recording an empty-net tally to create the 4-2 final.
McGuckin (7-12-1) finished the night with 32 saves.
The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday at Stonehill at 6:10 p.m.