RUTLAND, Vt. (November 28, 2015) - Senior Will Laking (Orillia, Ont.) scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period, lifting the Castleton University men's ice hockey team to a 3-2 victory over Western New England University this afternoon in the consolation game of the 2015 Rutland Herald Invitational at Spartan Arena.
 
Freshman James Buckingham (Eagan, Minn.) and junior Josh Twietmeyer (Weston, Fla.) each found the back of the net for Western New England, while junior defenseman Kyle Williams (Rome, N.Y.) and freshmen Edmund Rogers (Creve Coeur, Mo.) and Connor Eckenrod (Ebensburg, Pa.) recorded assists. Senior goaltender Austin Keiser (Danwoody, Ga.) was named to the All-Tournament team after making 41 saves, giving him a total of 98 over the two-day event.
 
Despite being outshot in the first period, it was Western New England that struck first 8:25 into the contest when Buckingham stuffed a rebound past Castleton freshman netminder Wyatt Pickrell (Newmarket, Ont.) for his first collegiate goal. Pickrell finished with 20 saves for the Spartans, earning a win in his first career start.
 
Keiser stopped the first ten shots that he faced, but Castleton equalized with 1:26 left in the opening period when Laking and junior Brock Labelle (Holland, Ohio) set up senior Derek Gingera (Winnipeg, Man.) for a power play goal. Freshman defenseman Dan Fitzgerald (O'Fallon, Mo.) then gave the Spartans a 2-1 lead 6:15 into the second period on a feed from Gingera.  
 
Western New England evened the score at 2-2 late in the period, as Eckenrod intercepted a Castleton pass in the defensive zone and carried the puck down the ice before leaving a drop pass for Twietmeyer, who fired a one-timer over Pickrell's glove and into the net.
 
With the game still tied seven minutes into the third period, a Western New England holding penalty gave Castleton its fourth and final power play of the afternoon. Keiser stopped the first shot he faced and the second hit the post, but the Spartans were able to find the back of the net on their fifth attempt, as Laking cleaned up a rebound following a slap shot by sophomore Braedan Moffatt (Carp, Ont.).
 
The Golden Bears put three shots on target the rest of the way but were unable to get one past Pickrell, as the hosts held on for their first win of the season. Castleton outshot Western New England 44-22, and converted on two of its three opportunities with a man advantage.
 
Western New England (0-8-1, 0-5 ECAC NE) will be off until next Saturday, when the Golden Bears return home to host Johnson & Wales University in a conference contest at Smead Arena. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 2:40 p.m. Castleton (1-7-1, 0-5-1 NEHC) will be back in action next Friday against Utica College at Spartan Arena.