GARDNER, Mass. – Junior
Hunter Brackett (Harwick Port, Mass.) fired home his team-leading sixth and seventh goals of the season as the Saint Anselm College men's ice hockey team picked up a valuable 5-1 road win over Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference play on Friday evening.
UP NEXT:
- The Hawks will wrap up the two-game series on the road against Franklin Pierce on Saturday, January 13th at 5:30 p.m. from the Gardner Veteran's Ice Arena in Gardner, Mass.
Score: Saint Anselm 5, Franklin Pierce 1
Records: Saint Anselm 5-9-2 (3-4-2 NE10), Franklin Pierce 6-9-0 (4-5-0 NE10)
Location: Gardner, Mass. (Gardner Veteran's Ice Arena)
Date: Friday, January 12, 2024
Attendance: 159
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Franklin Pierce started out fast with the game's first five shot attempts that forced two early saves out of Saint Anselm's freshman goaltender Cam Carroll (Putnam Valley, N.Y.). Carroll additionally denied the Ravens the opening goal with two more quick saves during a flurry in front of the Hawks net just moments later.
- Saint Anselm registered its first shot on goal just over five minutes in when senior Tommy Schwartz (Ridgefield, Conn.) made Franklin Pierce netminder Maxymilian Banoun make his first stop. Neither goaltender would falter in the opening 20 minutes despite scoring chances by both teams as the first period ended scoreless.
- After outshooting the Ravens 6-1 and hitting the post during the first two minutes of the second period, sophomore Will Rosen (Washington, D.C.) netted the game's opening goal for the Hawks 2:45 into the period. It was Rosen's first tally of the season for Saint Anselm as well as his first ever collegiate goal.
- Just over three minutes later, Franklin Pierce knotted up the score at one goal apiece courtesy of Todd Branish's first goal of the year. Both teams would then exchange power play opportunities, but neither would succeed as the game remained tied.
- In the final nine minutes of the middle stanza, the Hawks started to push the pace by firing 11 more shots on goal. Sophomore Tim Duffy (Sudbury, Mass.) also rang a shot off the post for Saint Anselm during that span, but the score stayed at 1-1 heading into the final period.
- It didn't take long for the scoring to get started in the third, as Brackett lit the lamp on the power play to give the Hawks the 2-1 lead just two minutes into the period. Junior Luke Mix (Winchester, Mass.) had the lone helper on Brackett's team-leading sixth marker of the season.
- Exactly five minutes later, the Hawks doubled their lead on another power play goal, this time from sophomore Luke Linart (Holland, Mich.). Junior Max Burum (Marshfield, Mass.) picked up an assist on Saint Anselm's third goal of the night.
- Franklin Pierce attempted to climb back into it with under 10 minutes to go during a power play chance, but Carroll stood tall for Saint Anselm, turning aside three more shots in a 45 second span to keep his team in front by two goals.
- Carroll's stellar play between the pipes allowed his team to go up 4-1 with four minutes remaining in the game thanks to an even strength tally by sophomore Garrett Alberti (Wilmington, Mass.). Mix picked up another assist while freshman Patrick DeMarinis (Manasquan, N.J.) also added a helper on the play.
- Hammering the nail in the coffin with two minutes to play was Brackett, burying the empty netter for his second goal and third point of the evening. Saint Anselm skated away with a convincing 5-1 victory when the final horn sounded.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Saint Anselm held the edge in shots on goal in the game, 45-40. Carroll denied 39 of the 40 shots he faced in goal for the Hawks, while Banoun made 40 saves and allowed four goals on the night for the Ravens.
- Franklin Pierce was very successful at the faceoff dot, winning 55-of-88 faceoffs.
- Saint Anselm killed both of Franklin Pierce's power play chances. The Hawks went 2-for-6 with the extra skater and fired 12 shots on goal during the power play.
- Brackett tallied two goals and now leads the team with seven. Joining him with two points on the night was Alberti (one goal and one assist), DeMarinis (two assists), and Mix (two assists). Mix now leads the team with eight helpers from the blue line position.
- Saint Anselm continues their success against Franklin Pierce, picking up their 29th win in just 34 meetings all-time against their in-state rival.
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