Box Score
Scoring Summary
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – In a terrific ending to the regular season, Western New England and Nichols skated to a 2-2 overtime tie in a well-played ECAC Northeast men's hockey contest Saturday night (Feb. 18) at Smead Arena.
The outcome was significant for the Golden Bears (13-11-1) who clinched a home game in the upcoming playoffs after finishing fourth in the league with an 8-5-1 mark. Coach
Greg Heffernan's squad also assured itself of the program's first winning campaign in 18 years.
Nichols (11-12-2), who entered the contest with a four-game win streak and 8-1 mark in its last nine outings, also will be hosting a playoff game next week after taking third in the league at 9-4-1.
The ECAC Northeast Tournament begins next Saturday (Feb. 25) at campus sites.
Both goalies were outstanding with Nichols senior
Jacob Rinn (Warwick, RI) making 41 saves and Western New England freshman
Tim Carr (Pine Bush, NY) turning away 28 shots. Rinn had 19 of his saves in the second period and 12 in the final stanza. Carr, filling in for injured sophomore
Eric Sorenson (Fairport, NY), had two nice saves in the final five minutes of regulation and two in the extra session.
The Golden Bears took a 1-0 lead just a minute into the first period on a goal by sophomore forward
Trent Krueger (White Bear Lake, MN). It was his 11th score of the season. Sophomore forwards
John Kelly (Staten Island, NY) and
Brian Prost (Parma, OH) had the assists.
Freshman defenseman
Kyle Shapiro (Ambler, PA) tied the game with a power play score at 1:57 of the second stanza as freshmen forwards
Louie Educate (Chicago, IL) and
Joe Sposit (Cleveland, OH) earned the assists.
WNE went ahead when freshman defenseman
Adam Bristol (Carmel, IN) found the back of the net at the 8:57 mark with an assist from freshman forward
Brandon Stroud (Clarksville, IN).
Junior
Bryan Gill (New Hyde Park, NY) scored his goal of the season to again tie the game at 13:24 as Educate received his second assist.
There was no scoring for the final 31 minutes, 36 seconds.
The Bison converted one power play opportunity in five chances while the Golden Bears were 0-for-4. Each squad had six penalties.
Before the game, Western New England honored defenseman
Joe Deptula (Anchorage, AK) and forwards
Kory Grahl (San Diego, CA),
Rory Hansen (Noblesville, IN), and
Mike Kaselouskas (East Longmeadow, MA) during Senior Night activities. Deptula and Grahl serve as the team co-captains.
Contact: Ken Cerino, Western New England athletic communications director (413) 782-1227.
kcerino@wne.edu
