Junior Kevin Aufiero scored twice tonight to lead Stonehill to a 3-2 win at Franklin Pierce.

Skyhawks earn two more points, improve to 7-0 in Northeast-10

WINCHENDON, Mass. (February 1, 2014) – Junior forward Kevin Aufiero (Canton, Mass./Walpole Express) scored two goals late in the second period and classmate Chris Tasiopoulos (Norwell, Mass./Thayer Academy) made 28 saves as the Stonehill College ice hockey team won its sixth game in a row tonight, a 3-1 triumph at Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 action at Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Stonehill's streak matches its six-game run during the 2006-07 season, the longest winning streak since the Skyhawks won  a school-record nine in a row in the 2005-06 campaign.

Aufiero powered Stonehill's offense tonight with his second multi-goal game of the season, while sophomore forward Garrett White (Wakefield, Mass./Pomfret School) recorded two points on a goal and an assist. Senior captain Bryan Rooney (Canton, Mass./New Hampton School), junior defenseman Brendan Greene (Weymouth, Mass./Boston Advantage), and sophomore forward Dan Graham (Billerica, Mass./Williston Northampton) each added an assist as Stonehill improved to 7-0 in conference play and clinched home ice advantage in the opening round of the NE-10 Championship on Saturday, February 22nd.

White, who was named the Northeast-10 Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Monday, has now registered seven points (four goals, three assists) in his last six games. Stonehill has gone 6-0 since the sophomore joined the lineup on January 15^th against Becker College.

Stonehill fell behind 1-0 just 6:45 into the opening period on Franklin Pierce senior forward Bryan Colella's (Medfield, Mass./CD Selects) second goal of the season, and the Skyhawks would trail for the remainder of the period and the majority of the second, as well.

The Skyhawks finally found their offensive groove late in the second period with the help of a 5-on-3 power play, as Graham found Aufiero for an easy finish to tie the score at one with 16:54 elapsed in the frame. Aufiero would score again with a minute and a half left before the second intermission, this time on a shorthanded tally. The junior was able to stuff the puck past Franklin Pierce senior goaltender Dave O'Brien (Groton, Mass./Northern Cyclones) after several Stonehill players swarmed to the front of the net. Stonehill would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the contest.

White gave the Skyhawks some insurance with his wrap around score 4:46 into the third period, and the Ravens were only able to muster one more goal, as sophomore forward Brendan Glynn (Quincy, Mass./Bridgton Academy) beat Tasiopoulos on a power play opportunity at the 7:02 mark of the period.

Tasiopoulos, who was named the Northeast-10 Goaltender of the Week on Monday for the fourth time this season, stopped 28 of the 30 shots that came his way, including 12 in the third period, to preserve the win for Stonehill. His counterpart, O'Brien, made 31 saves in the loss.

Both teams converted on one of their power play opportunities, with Stonehill going 1-2 and Franklin Pierce 1-5.

Stonehill (12-9-0, 7-0-0 NE-10) and Franklin Pierce (4-13-2, 2-5-1 NE-10) are set to square off again on Thursday night in Foxboro, Mass. for the final time this season. Stonehill has already earned two points by virtue of beating the Ravens 10-3 on November 30^th and again tonight. Franklin Pierce will hit the road on Tuesday for a conference test at Saint Michael's College before heading to Foxboro on Thursday.

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