PAWTUCKET, R.I. (February 13, 2016) - Junior Tyler Pionk (Hermantown, Minn.) scored midway through the second period and freshman goaltender Kevin Gollmer (Flourtown, Pa.) made 41 saves in net, but Johnson & Wales University equalized late in the third to earn a 1-1 tie with Western New England University this evening in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast action at the Blackstone Valley Sports Center.  
 
After a scoreless first period, Western New England got on the board at the 10:50 mark of the second. Playing with a man advantage after Johnson & Wales was called for a tripping penalty, Pionk scored his third goal of the season with the help of an assist from freshman defenseman Brian Hurley (Baldwin, N.Y.).
 
Gollmer, who was making his seventh appearance of the season for the Golden Bears, stopped the first 38 Johnson & Wales shots that came his way, but was unable to secure his first career shutout as freshman Jonathan Ruiz (Williamstown, N.J.) evened the score with just 1:43 remaining in regulation on a feed from junior Ben Brouillard (Somerset, Mass.).
 
Gollmer made two more saves in the five minute overtime session and finished with 40+ stops for the fourth time this season, but neither team was able to find the back of the net as Western New England skated to its fourth tie of the 2015-16 campaign.
 
Johnson & Wales junior goaltender Joey Ballmer (Kalamazoo, Mich.) stopped 18 of the 19 shots that he faced, ten of which came in the second period. Gollmer is now 1-3-2 on the season, while Ballmer moves to 10-9-3.
 
The Wildcats outshot the Golden Bears 42-19, and also held a 39-31 advantage in the faceoff circle. Western New England capitalized on one of its four power play opportunities, while Johnson & Wales went 0-for-2 with a man advantage.
 
Western New England (2-17-4, 1-11-2 ECAC NE) returns to action on Wednesday night at Endicott, before wrapping up its season next Saturday afternoon with a senior day contest against Becker at Smead Arena. Johnson & Wales (10-9-4, 6-5-3 ECAC NE) heads to Salve Regina on Wednesday before hosting Nichols on Saturday night.