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SPRINGFIELD, Mass.-Senior Andy Cramer led Western New England with two points as the Golden Bears lost their regular-season home finale to Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast men's hockey leader Nichols, 5-2, on Senior Day in Smead Rink at Blunt Park on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Bears fall to 5-14-3 overall and 5-7 in the ECAC Northeast, while the visiting Bison improve to 18-3-3 on the season and 10-1-2 in the conference.

Nichols took a 2-1 lead after the first period, with the go-ahead goal scored by Frank Butler just 61 seconds after WNE had tied it. Tyler Beasley passed the puck from the left wing boards across the ice to Butler, who got off a shot from the right face-off dot through the five-hole of the goaltender. At the 10:58 mark, junior Chris Lembo put the Golden Bears on the scoreboard with his fifth goal of the season on assists by Cramer and senior assistant captain Matt Dore. Sean Swansen gave Nichols a 1-0 lead on the power play 2 minutes and 49 seconds in when he tipped-in Joe Sposit's wrist shot from the right point top shelf.

It could have been more than a 2-1 Nichols advantage after 20 minutes if it wasn't for the stellar play of freshman goalie Scott Brown, who made 20 of his 37 saves in the opening stanza to keep WNE close. For the game, the Bison also led in shots on goal, 43 to 31.

Western New England had two golden scoring opportunities in the first period. Dore was robbed from right in front of the goal by Alex Larson (16-2-3 won-lost record) with a butterfly save just 50 seconds after the opening face-off on a feed from behind the net. With just under 5 minutes remaining, freshman Will Norris's tipped shot from close range went just wide of the right post.

The second stanza began with Lembo hitting the post 52 seconds in, but Scott Cuthrell scored what proved to be the game-winning goal moments later at the 1:30 mark. Nichols led 3-1 after two periods.

Butler scored two more goals for the hat-trick as Nichols held a commanding 5-1 cushion in the final period. Cramer scored WNE's other goal on assists by Lembo and senior Nick Diorio.

Dore had another grade-A scoring chance with 13:40 left in the third period, but Larson--who finished with 27 saves--prevented the power play goal by sticking out his left pad.

These same two teams will have a quick turnaround as they will meet again on Sunday at Nichols' home facility, Levy Rink in Harrisville, R.I., in an ECAC Northeast contest that was originally scheduled for Jan. 27 and moved the first time to Feb. 2--both postponed due to snowy weather.

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