Box Score Boxscore

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Johnson & Wales used a balanced offense and netminder Matt Cooper turned aside 36 shots upset the front-running Western New England University men's hockey team, 4-1, in an Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast game at Smead Rink on Saturday. The Wildcats improve to 3-7 overall and 2-3 in the ECAC Northeast. Despite their first conference loss, Western New England (5-3) still is atop the ECAC Northeast standings at 4-1.

Seven different J&W players scored one point, including Trevor Jewell's go-ahead goal while on the power play at the 7:18 mark of the third period. Jewell's fourth tally came through traffic in front of the net and glanced off the left-post.

Sophomore Brandon Stroud scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season to knot the score at 1-all midway through the second period. Stroud tied for the ECAC Northeast lead with four power-play goals, assisted by junior co-captain John Kelly.

Western New England goalie Eric Sorenson, who also finished with 36 saves, flashed his left-leg pad off a shot by Jason Pietrasiak from the right face-off circle to keep a 0-0 game until Alex Porrier stole a WNE face-off win and backhanded a shot past Sorenson for a 1-0 lead with 1 minute and 7 seconds left in the first period.

Sorenson kept the Golden Bears within striking distance, down 2-1, in the third period when he made a left forearm save while lying on his chest.

Johnson & Wales scored two empty-net goals over the last 1:16 to account for the final three-goal margin.