Scoring Summary
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The fourth-seeded Western New England men's hockey team compiled one of the biggest wins in program history with a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over fifth-seeded Johnson & Wales in a first-round game of the ECAC Northeast Tournament Saturday (Feb. 25) at Smead Arena.
Sophomore forward
Dan Monahan (Monroe, NJ) notched the winning goal at 11:08 of the extra session as the Golden Bears (14-11-1) moved to the semifinal contest at top-seeded Wentworth (18-6-1) at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29 in Boston. The Leopards had a first-round bye.
Monahan's goal was his 11th of the season and it came following assists from freshman defenseman
Adam Bristol (Carmel, IN) and senior forward
Mike Kaselouskas (East Longmeadow, MA).
The game was scoreless a little more than 55 minutes thanks to spectacular goaltending by Western New England freshman
Tim Carr (Pine Bush, NY) and JWU junior
Matt Copper (Perrysburg, OH).
Carr, filling in for injured sophomore
Eric Sorenson (Fairport, NY), made 33 saves in only his sixth appearance (and fourth start) of the season. He stopped 11 shots in both the second and third periods, and eight in overtime.
"This was an exciting playoff game and our team played great," said Carr. "We battled hard and didin't give up, especially when they tied the game."
Copper was magnificent turning away 47 shots with 15 coming in the opening period and 14 in overtime.
Western New England got on the board first as senior forward
Rory Hansen (Noblesville, IN) fired in his fifth goal of the year at 15:21 of the final stanza with assists from sophomore forward
Chris Connors (Albany, NY) and senior forward
Kory Grahl (San Diego, CA).
The Wildcats, who entered the game fourth nationally in Division III in scoring with a 4.46 average, tallied the equalizer when junior defenseman
Trevor Jewell (Belgrade, MT) threaded a shot through a maze of players at the 18:16 mark. It was his ninth score of the season. Senior defenseman
Domenic Recchia (Sterling Heights, MI) earned the assist.
That set the stage for Monahan who netted his first game-winner of the year to keep the season alive for the Golden Bears.
This was the fourth meeting between the teams this season with JWU rolling to a 10-3 decision over the WNE at Smead Arena on February 8. Western New England won the first outing 5-2 back on November 10 with Johnson & Wales taking a 6-4 decision on January 18.
Johnson & Wales, who is 0-1-3 in overtime games, ends its campaign with a 13-10-3 record.
Western New England's 14 victories tie as the second highest in the program's 32-year history. The Golden Bears are 2-1-1 in overtime contests this season.
In the other first-round matchup, third-seeded Nichols edged sixth-seeded Becker 3-2 to advance to the semifinals at second-seeded Curry on Wednesday.
Contact: Ken Cerino, Western New England athletic communications director (413) 782-1227
kcerino@wne.edu
