WORCESTER – In her first career collegiate game, Ravens freshman Jenna Ruiz (Webster, Wisc.) had a start to remember, recording a hat trick to lead the Franklin Pierce Ravens to a 6-1 victory over the Becker Hawks on Saturday night at the Worcester Ice Center.
Returning to the ice for the first time since Feb. 26, 2020, the women's ice hockey program played their first game in 347 days in tonight's loss.
THE BASICS
February 6, 2020
Worcester Ice Center
Score: Franklin Pierce 6 – Becker 1
Records: The Becker College Hawks 0-1-0 | The Franklin Pierce University Ravens 1-0-0
GAME SUMMARY
Ruiz got the Ravens on the board 3:16 into the game on the first career collegiate goal. Ruiz won a faceoff in the neutral zone, back to junior Kiki Doucette (Bridgewater, Mass.), who chipped back a pass to Ruiz as she entered the offensive zone.
Ruiz skated around a defender and fired a wrist shot past the blocker side of Hawks sophomore goalie Amber Lee (Nashua, N.H.) for a 1-0 lead.
FPU doubled the lead midway through the first period on a goal by sophomore Katelyn Brightbill (Annville, Pa.). The Ravens won a puck battle in the right-wing corner and a shot from a sharp angle by senior Marissa Massaro (Brockton, Mass.) was initially stopped by Lee, but the rebound bounced to Brightbill for a 2-0 lead.
Sophomore Becca Kniss (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and junior Bridget Fagan (Millis, Mass.) were next on the board to extend the lead to 4-0.
Ruiz netted the next two for FPU, the first coming on an odd-women rush thanks to a defensive zone breakout pass by freshman Brooke Remington (Scandia, Minn.). That pass found a streaking Raven down the left wing and as the Ravens entered the zone, Ruiz received a pass in the slot and beat Lee for a second time for a 5-0 lead.
Ruiz finished off the hat trick on the power-play, benefitting from a loose puck that slid through the right slot to the left slot. Ruiz gathered from 15 feet away slid a shot past the outstretched pad of Lee for a 6-0 lead.
The Hawks broke up the shutout early in the third period on a goal by sophomore Cassidhe Wozniak (Turners Falls, Mass.). Becker won a puck battle at the left point that allowed Wozniak to skate across the high slot and drop a pass to freshman Anya Laxton (Holbrook, N.Y.). Laxton returned the puck to Wozniak at the right post and she was able to slide a shot past junior goalie Emme Ostrander (Westborough, Mass.).
FOR THE HAWKS
- Wozniak scored her first of the season while Laxton gets credit for her first career collegiate point.
- Sophomore Shelby Reaugh (Raleigh, N.C.) was part of the puck battle that allowed Becker to score and was credited with her first assist this season.
- Lee made a career-high 49 saves on the night but it credited with the loss on Opening Night.
FOR THE RAVENS
- Ruiz was not the only Raven with a three-point night. Freshman Emilie Prive (Morrisville, Vt.) finished with three assists, all coming on Ruiz's goals.
- Brightbill and Kniss each finished with one goal and one assist.
- Ostrander made 17 saves and picked up her first win of the season.
UP NEXT
The two teams return to play on Sunday in the second half of the home-and-home series between Becker and Franklin Pierce. The Hawks travel north to face the Ravens with puck drop set for 7:00 p.m.
