West Springfield, Mass. (November 10, 2023) - The Golden Bears and the Bison of Nichols College shared a sheet of ice for the first time this season. The Golden Bears got up to a 2-0 lead after the first period. The Bison would counter with two goals in the second period. The Golden Bears scored four in the third and won the game 6-3.

Records:

• Western New England: 2-3-0 (1-2-0)
• Nichols College: 1-3-0 (1-2-0)

How it Happened:

To start the game, the Golden Bears started Andrew LoRusso in net, and the Bison started Mathias Backstrom. Dalton Garcia won the opening faceoff, and the game was underway. Immediately, 1:47 into the game, Justin Sullivan took a centering pass from Jimmy Mettler and tipped it into the back of the net to give the Golden Bears the 1-0 lead. The Bison answered with shot after shot, but LoRusso was making the saves. The Golden Bears then went to the power play. 5:15 into the second period, Rais Francis got the puck from Jake Mendeszoon, who got it from Matt Dougherty. Francis then sent a hard wrist shot right past the goalie and into the back of the net. The Golden Bears led 2-0. After the teams went back and forth, Nichols went on the penalty kill. The Golden Bears had two shots during the power play. However, only one got on net, and it was saved by Backstrom. With a minute left in the first period, the Golden Bears went back on the power play and finished out the first period with a shot on Backstrom, which was saved. The Bison also got a shot on LoRusso, which was saved. After the first period, the Golden Bears led 1-0, had 27 total shots compared to Nichols' 20, 16 shots on goal compared to the 11 from Nichols, and three power play attempts with one power play goal.

The second period saw the Golden Bears get one shot off before the power play ended. However, that shot did not make it to Backstrom. Nichols started to gain momentum and it would end with Dylan McMahon grabbing a turnover and flying down the ice on a breakaway. McMahon would make a move and put the puck into the back of the net to cut the Golden Bear lead to one. It was 2-1, Golden Bears. It was back and forth for a while. However, with 7:57 left in the second period, the Bison went on the power play. They had two shots during the power play, and both had to be saved by LoRusso. The Golden Bears also got a short-handed shot during the penalty. Then, the Golden Bears were called for a second penalty. The Bison had a two-player advantage but would only get two shots off during that advantage. Neither got to LoRusso. The Bison had five shots, with two on LoRusso in the second power play. They couldn't find the back of the net, though. With under two minutes left in the second period, the Golden Bears went on the power play. The Golden Bears had two shots, with one on Backstrom, before they were called for a penalty. Then, with 48 seconds left in the period, Gabe Temple sent the puck to Kaiden Scott, who threw it off the WNE goalie, and the puck found Jack Lee, who sent the puck into the back of the net for the equalizing goal. Shortly after, the period came to an end. The score was 2-2. Nichols had 33 total shots with 18 on goal. WNE had 21 total shots, with 11 on goal. Nichols had two power play attempts, and Golden Bears had one. Neither team scored on the power play during that period. 

The third period started with Josh Dickson winning the opening faceoff for the third period. Both teams went back and forth with shots before the Golden Bears went on the power play. The Golden Bears had two shots during the power play. One of the shots was on net, and it was saved by Backstrom. Then, eight minutes in, the Golden Bears went on another power play attempt. This time, the puck would find the back of the net for a goal. Jimmy Mettler found Matt Dougherty, who snapped a wrist shot into the back of the net for the power play goal, and the Golden Bears had the lead, 3-2. Shortly after, the Golden Bears went back on the power play again. Again, it ended in a power play goal. Shane Miller passed it to Brayden Patricia, who sent it to the front of the goal, where Kyle Knight found the puck and put it into the net. The Golden Bears had another power play goal and the lead was 4-2. Nichols tried to ramp up the pressure and did. However, the Golden Bears and Justin Sullivan had other plans. Matty Zdanowicz found Nolan Dawson on the left side of the net.

Dawson sent a shot at net, which Backstrom saved. Sullivan trailed the play and took the rebounded puck and put it right back at the net and scored. The score was 5-2, Golden Bears. Nathan Carl would receive a pass from Luke Harvie and score on a wrist shot in the 18th minute of the final period of play to make the score 5-3. However, Shane Miller would get a pass from Sullivan and loft a shot at an empty net with 22 seconds left in the game and would score to give the Golden Bears the 6-3 win over Nichols College. Nichols ended with 69 shots and 36 shots on goal. WNE ended with 63 total shots and 37 shots on goal. 

Inside the Crease:

• The Golden Bears hosted the Bison for the first time this season.
• The first goal was scored by Justin Sullivan 1:46 into the game. Sullivan was assisted by Jimmy Mettler. WNE led 1-0
• The second goal came from Rais Francis on a power play. Francis was assisted by Jake Mendeszoon and Matt Dougherty in the sixth minute of play in the first period. WNE led 2-0.
• Dylan McMahon got a goal back for the Bison 2:37 into the second period. WNE now led 2-1.
• Jack Lee equalized the game with 48 seconds left in the second period. Gabe Temple and Kaiden Scott had the assists. The score was now 2-2.
• Matt Dougherty scored a power play goal 8:39 into the third period. Jimmy Mettler had the assist. The Golden Bears led 3-2.
• Kyle Knight scored 9:59 into the third period on a power play. Shane Miller and Nolan Dawson had the assists. WNE led 4-2. 
• Justin Sullivan scored with 3:51 left in the game to give the Golden Bears a 5-2 lead. Nolan Dawson and Matty Zdanowicz had the assists.
• Nathan Carl got the Bison back to within two with 2:57 left in the game. Luke Harvie had the assist. The score was 5-3, Golden Bears.
• Shane Miller then scored an empty-net goal with 22 seconds left to finish the game. Justin Sullivan had the assist. The Golden Bears led 6-3.
• Mathias Backstrom had 31 saves.
• Andrew LoRusso had 31 saves.
• The Golden Bears won 6-3.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Both teams will travel to Levi Rink in Harrisville, Rhode Island, where they will play their second of two games on the weekend. That game will be played at 4:40 PM on Saturday, November 11.