Box Score WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (February 5, 2022) – The Western New England men's ice hockey team had the No. 10 team in the country, the University of New England Nor'easters within one goal at the end of the first and second periods before the Nor'easters credited three unanswered goals in the third period to down the Golden Bears 6-2 on Saturday night from the Olympia Ice Center.
Records:
- Western New England: 4-13-2 (2-12-1 CCC)
- No. 10 University of New England: 11-3-1 (10-3-1 CCC)
How it Happened:
The No. 10 Nor'easters got the game started early as Ryan Kuzmich scored his 8th goal of the season to give UNE a 1-0 lead. Jake Fuss would send the puck around to Austin Morgan who patiently waited behind the net, guarded by Western New England's Colten Lancaster. Morgan saw a quick opening of space to feed Kuzmich in front of the net and Kuzmich was able to rifle a shot past Lancaster to give the Nor'easters the lead. The University of New England would continue to fire shots on Lancaster, coming away with 16 total shots on goal in the first period. Lancastermade 15 saves on the 16 shots to keep the Golden Bears in the game in the first period. UNE won eight of 11 faceoffs in the period, though failed to convert on the only powerplay attempt in the period. WNE came away with six first period shots.
The scoreboard picked up an additional four goals in the second period, two for the Nor'easters and two for the Golden Bears. The University of New England picked up the first goal of the period to double their lead when Logan DiScanio picked up his first goal of the season on assists from Aaron Aragon and Chad Merrell to give UNE the 2-0 lead. Western New England would quickly fight back as just 15 seconds later, the Golden Bears found twine. Right off the faceoff, Western New England's defenders made a defense to defense pass, ending with Josh Bliss sending the puck up to Jacob Ondrejko who hit a cutting Demitrios Stefanou into the offensive zone. Stefanou took a quick snapshot that found its way past James Corcoran, the starting goaltender for UNE, to send the Nor'easters lead back to one. UNE bumped their lead from one to two, again, as Jake Fuss tallied his sixth goal of the season on assists from Chris Jones and Austin Morgan, putting the 3-1 advantage in the hands of the Nor'easters. Western New England would not let the Nor'easters extend their lead as Lancaster was able to come up large for the Golden Bears at the midway point of the period. Western New England would be awarded a powerplay with 10:09 to play in the second period. With just a single second remaining in the period, Western New England would find the goal for the second time in the period, again cutting their deficit from two to one. Marko Bohatiuk would send the puck around the boards to Billy Hefferle. Hefferle would see teammate Nolan Zweep at the top of the blue line. Zweep would take a low wrist shot that was deflected in front off a Nor'easter and sent into the back of the net to give Western New England their second goal of the period. WNE would take a one goal deficit heading into the break.
The Nor'easters would overpower the Golden Bears in the third period, scoring the final three goals of the game. To start the period Tyler Seltenreich would credit his first point of the night when he picked up the fourth UNE goal on assists from Liam Darcy and Daniel Winslow. Western New England would battle towards the midway point of the contest, though WNE would surrender a late goal, at the 14:33 mark of the period to go down by a score of 5-2. Chad Merrell would score for the Nor'easters in front of the net from Logan DiScanio and Anthony Sciucco to give UNE the three-goal lead. An extra goal would be scored unassisted from UNE's Ryan Kuzmuch, giving UNE the 6-2 lead, a score at which ended the game.
Inside the Crease:
- Western New England was down just 3-2 after the second period but saw UNE explode for three third period goals, on their way to a 6-2 win.
- Colten Lancaster came away with 35 saves on 41 shots on goal by UNE.
- Western New England took 25 shots on goal in total, with nine coming in the final frame. Western New England scored the only power play goal on the night, going 1-3. UNE was unsuccessful on three attempts.
- WNE has dropped four straight and has not won at home since November 14, 2021.
Up Next on the Schedule:
- WNE travels to Wentworth Institute of Technology on Tuesday, February 8 at 6:00 pm for a makeup game from Friday, February 4.
- No 10 UNE sees No. 14 Curry College on Tuesday, February 8 at 7:00 pm on a makeup game from January 22.
