SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 30, 2015) - The Westfield State University ice hockey team rallied from a second period deficit with five unanswered goals, retaining the Falcon Cup with a 6-2 victory over Western New England University this afternoon at the MassMutual Center in the season-opener for both teams.
 
Western New England scored early in the first and second periods and led by a goal more than halfway through the contest, but the Owls scored five times over the final 25:40 of regulation to secure a win in the annual rivalry game between the two programs.
 
Freshman Steve Beck (Milton, N.Y.) and senior Chris Lembo (Southington, Conn.) each scored for the Golden Bears, while freshman goaltender Cole Semchak (Bakersfield, Calif.) made 34 saves in his first collegiate start, including 15 in the third period.
 
Senior Dalton Jay (Hamilton, Ontario) and junior Jackson Leef (Fort Wayne, Ind.) scored two goals apiece to power Westfield State's late-game offensive surge, and junior netminder Jonathan LoParco (Vaughan, Ontario) turned aside 32 of the 34 shots that he faced.
 
The game started with promise for Western New England, as Beck netted the first goal of his collegiate career just under three minutes after the opening faceoff. The Owls would tie the contest at the 7:55 mark, however, on an unassisted goal from Jay.
 
The teams went into the locker room for the first intermission tied 1-1, but Lembo put the Golden Bears back ahead 46 seconds into the second period on a feed from freshman defenseman Brian Hurley (Baldwin, N.Y.). Hurley sent a pass up the left side to Lembo, who got behind the Westfield State defense and fired a wrist shot past LoParco.
 
Western New England held its lead until the 14:20 mark of the middle period, when sophomore Jeremy Young (Lynnfield, Mass.) scored the equalizer with the help of sophomore Cory Wilson (Maitland, Ontario) and freshman Colby Daniels (Leask, Saskatchewan).
 
Sophomore Cody Campbell-Rich (Bellingham, Wash.) potted the go-ahead goal for Westfield State late in the second period, and the Owls tacked on three more goals in the third, two of which came with a man advantage.
 
Both teams return to action next Thursday, as Western New England (0-1, 0-0 ECAC NE) travels to Worcester State for a non-conference contest, and Westfield State (1-0, 0-0 MASCAC) opens its MASCAC slate at home against Salem State.