Middletown, R.I. (January 12, 2024) – The Golden Bears traveled to Middletown, Rhode Island, for their third meeting with the Seahawks from Salve Regina University. The teams traded goals in the first with one goal each and in the second with two goals each. Then, in the third, the Seahawks would score one to make the score 4-3 and would tack on two empty-net goals at the end of the game to make the final score 6-3, Seahawks. Justin Sullivan led the team with two goals for the Golden Bears.

• Western New England: 4-9-2 (1-6-2)
• Salve Regina University: 12-3-1 (7-1-1)

How it Happened:

The Golden Bears and Seahawks met at the Cabot-Harmon Ice Center for their final of three matchups this season on Friday night. The Golden Bears would start Anthony Aureliano in net, and the Seahawks would start Cayden Bailey across from Aureliano. The puck dropped, and the opening faceoff was won by Damon Zimmer. Almost immediately, the Golden Bears had two shots, with one having to be saved by Bailey. That was followed by ten of the next twelve shots favoring the Seahawks. They had five shots on goal, which were all saved by Aureliano. At the 5:58 mark, the Golden Bears were called for a penalty, giving the Seahawks a power play opportunity. Both teams had a shot during the Seahawk power play, with the Seahawks' shot testing Aureliano, who was equal to the task and kept the game tied at zero. The Golden Bears gained momentum from the penalty kill, and after some back-and-forth action, they got the game's opening goal with 9:24 left in the first. Jordie Morgan skated into the Seahawk defensive zone and left the puck for Matty Zdanowicz, who sent a wrist shot at the net. Bailey made the save, but the rebound jumped to Justin Sullivan, who knocked it into the back of the net. Golden Bears led 1-0. Forty-five seconds later, the Golden Bears were called for a second penalty, and the Seahawks had another opportunity on the power play. After a shorthanded shot from Josh Bliss made Cayden Bailey make a save, the Seahawks had three shots in a row, with the third being the equalizing goal. Joel Shoemaker sent a pass to Hoon Kim, who sent a quick wrist shot at the goal. Aureliano made the save, but a rebound shot out to Seth Benson, who was following the shot, and Benson sent it right back at the left corner of the net with 7:06 remaining in the first to make the score 1-1 with a power play goal. The teams would trade shots for a little while after that goal from Salve Regina University. Then, late in the opening period of play, the Seahawks had four shots in a row on Aureliano, who made each save. The Seahawks were then called for a penalty. The Golden Bears had two shots on the power play before a 10-minute misconduct penalty was called on the Seahawks at the end of the first period of play. The teams went into the locker rooms tied at one goal per side. Shots on goal were 15-12, favoring the Seahawks in the first. The Seahawks had two power play opportunities compared to the Golden Bears' one power play opportunity. The Seahawks would score on one of the opportunities.

The teams jumped back on the ice for the middle period of play. Matt Dougherty won the opening faceoff for the Golden Bears, and the Golden Bears started on the power play. The Golden Bears had three shots, with two on Bailey, before the power play ended, with the Golden Bears being called for a penalty. After a few seconds of 4-on-4 hockey, the Seahawks had a power play opportunity. Five shots happened during the Seahawk power play, with three shots needing to be saved by Anthony Aureliano and one shot hitting the pipe. The teams had three shots each after the power play before the Golden Bears would regain the lead. 5:49 into the second, Chris Hibson found Matt Dougherty flying down the ice and into the Seahawk defensive zone; Dougherty angled to the left side of the ice and sent a pass across the ice to Owen Schmidt, who settled the puck and launched it right past the goalie for the 2-1 Golden Bear lead. The Seahawks would respond with three of the next four shots, and 1:32 after the Golden Bear goal, the score was even at two goals. After a pile-up around the Seahawk goal led to Ian Tookenay clearing the puck down the ice, Walter Baumann skated to the puck and sent a pass back to Tookenay, who was following the play. Tookenay sent a one-timer past the left side of the goalie and into the back of the net. The score was now tied 2-2. 

The teams would go back and forth after the goal from the Seahawks. Both teams had opportunities, and time ticked away in the middle period of play. Then, with 6:43 left in the second, the Golden Bears broke the tie for a third time. After Justin Sullivan intercepted a pass in the Golden Bear defensive zone, Sullivan would skate up ice, weaving from the right side of the ice to the middle and back to the right. Sullivan would look for an opportunity and find one, sending a wrist shot towards the top right corner of the net. The puck sailed over the goalie, hit the pipe, and banked into the net to give the Golden Bears a 3-2 lead. The Golden Bears had four shots in a row after the goal, the Seahawks answered with a couple. Then, the Golden Bears went to the power play with 1:59 left in the second. Twenty-seven seconds later, the Golden Bears were called for a penalty, and the teams skated 4-on-4 for the rest of the second. The Seahawks had all four shots to end the second, including a goal from Hoon Kim with ten seconds remaining. Logan Calder sent a shot wide of the net with the end of the second looming. Calder would regain the puck on the left side of the boards. Calder pushed the puck to Hoon Kim, who sent a wrist shot past the goalie and into the net. The score was tied 3-3 going into the final period of play. Shots on goal during the second favored the Seahawks 12-10. Both teams had one power play opportunity during the second, with neither scoring on the power play. 

The final period of play started with Logan Calder winning the opening faceoff for the Seahawks. The Seahawks had a 27-second power play at the beginning of the third. They had two shots during it, with one shot saved by Aureliano. The Seahawks would pressure the Golden Bears by having nine of the next twelve shots. However, only one would need to be saved by Aureliano. One shot hit the pipe during that run. The teams traded shots for a little while after that. Then, after four Seahawk shots in a row, the Golden Bears were called for a penalty, and the Seahawks had another power play opportunity. The Seahawks had six shots, with four shots on goal. Aureliano made each save to keep the score tied. Then, the Golden Bears were called for a second penalty. The Seahawks had one shot during the 5-on-3 power play. Then, after the Golden Bears killed off the first penalty, Aidan Coupe scored the game-winning goal on the power play for the Seahawks with 8:54 left. Joel Shoemaker would corral the puck in the Seahawk defensive zone and shoot a pass to Hoon Kim, who was on the left side of the ice by the centerline. Kim sent a pass across the ice to Aidan Coupe. Coupe skated down the right side of the ice, getting closer and closer to goal, before sending a wrist shot right past the goalie. The Seahawks led 4-3. The Seahawks would continue to pressure the Golden Bears, with the next eight shots of the game being in their favor. Six of those shots were on goal, and Aureliano had to make each save. The Golden Bears were then called for a penalty with 5:52 remaining in the game. The Seahawks had two shots that Aureliano saved before being called for a penalty of their own. There would be no shots during 4-on-4 play or during the Golden Bear power play. The Golden Bears had a shot right after the power play, answered by four from the Seahawks. The Golden Bears would pull their goalie to get an extra skater on the ice, and with 48 seconds left, the Seahawks scored. Damon Zimmer sent the puck around the boards in the Seahawk defensive zone. Josh Kroon grabbed the puck and sent it off the boards to Seth Benson, who netted the goal. The Seahawks led 5-3. The Golden Bears would pull their goalie again after that. The Seahawks would score another empty netter with fourteen seconds left to make the score 6-3. Matthew Brunton scored off a pass from Dylan Price. The game ended soon after. Shots on goal were 25-6, favoring the Seahawks during the final period of play and 52-28 during the entire game. The Seahawks won more faceoffs, also, by a score of 43-31. The Seahawks were two for seven on the power play, and the Golden Bears were zero for three. The Seahawks would get the win 6-3.

Inside the Crease:

• The Golden Bears took on the Salve Regina Seahawks in Rhode Island at the Cabot-Harman Ice Center.
• 10:36 into the first, Justin Sullivan netted the first Golden Bear goal. Matty Zdanowicz and Jordie Morgan had assists. WNE led 1-0.
• Seth Benson equalized the game at one goal per side 12:54 into the first. Joel Shoemaker and Hoon Kim were credited with the assists. The score was tied 1-1.
• Owen Schmidt scored 5:49 into the second period of play to give the Golden Bears the lead back. Matt Dougherty and Chris Hibson assisted the goal. The Golden Bears led 2-1.
• At the 7:21 mark, Ian Tookenay made the score 2-2 with a goal for the Seahawks. Walter Baumann was credited with the assist.
• 13:17 into the second, Justin Sullivan made the score 3-2, in favor of the Golden Bears. That goal was unassisted.
• Hoon Kim scored at the 19:49.2 mark in the second. Logan Calder was given the assist on the goal. The score was tied 3-3.
• Aidan Coupe netted the fourth Seahawk goal to give Salve Regina University the lead 4-3. Hoon Kim and Joel Shoemaker assisted the goal at the 11:06 mark in the third.
• Seth Benson scored an empty-net goal at the 19:11.4 mark in the third to extend the Seahawk lead to two. Josh Kroon and Damon Zimmer had the assists. The score was 5-3 Seahawks.
• Matthew Brunton finished the scoring with an empty-net goal at the 19:45.6 mark in the final period of play. Dylan Price had the assist, and the Seahawks had a 6-3 lead.
• Anthony Aureliano made 46 saves.
• Cayden Bailey made 25 saves and got the win.
• The Seahawks beat the Golden Bears 6-3.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears head back to the Olympia Ice Center for their second game in as many nights. The Golden Bears will host Anna Maria College for their final non-conference game of the season at 7:00 PM on Saturday, January 13.
• The Seahawks will be in action next on Friday, January 19, at 7:00 PM, when they travel to Biddeford, Maine, for a conference game against the University of New England at Harold Alfond Forum.