WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 21, 2025) – WNE took the ice for a Tuesday evening tilt with Assumption University at the Olympia Ice Center. The Golden Bears played arguably their best all-around performance, with Matt Hamacher getting the scoring started with Hamacher's first career Golden Bear goal in the first frame, Justin Sullivan and Jake Mendeszoon netting goals in the second, and Everest Schneider netting a goal in the third. Aureliano also made 43 saves to earn Aureliano's first career shutout win for WNE.
Records:
Western New England: 5-10-1 (1-7-1)
Assumption University: 10-12-0 (7-5-0)
How it Happened:
The Golden Bears and Greyhounds took the ice for their first matchup since the 2016-2017 season. The Greyhounds got started quickly by having the first seven shots of the game. The WNE goalie, Anthony Aureliano, had to make four saves within the first 1:47 of the contest. The Golden Bears would answer, though. They had five shots in a row, with Assumption goalie Michael Hauswirth being forced to make one save. The teams went back and forth before a WNE penalty was called. The Greyhounds had seven shots during their power play but no goal. The teams would continue to test one another, but neither team could find the back of the net with a shot. That was until The Golden Bears would string four shots together, and the fourth saw Matt Hamacher celebrate Hamacher's first career Golden Bear goal with 8:14 remaining in the opening period of play. The flurry of shots started with Sam Mitchell, then Camille Marcoux, then Hamacher would have one shot blocked, with the rebound falling to him, and the second shot finding the top-left corner of the goal. WNE led 1-0. The teams continued trading shots, but Assumption would go on a run of six shots in a row to conclude the first period of play. Aureliano had to make three saves, including one right as the final horn sounded. Assumption had more shots, 29-17, and shots on goal, 17-6. WNE had more saves, 17-5, and both teams had seven faceoff wins.
The second started with two Golden Bear shots. The energy was high for the Golden Bears after beginning the middle period of play with the lead. Assumption tried to squash the energy with three shots in a row, but WNE would not falter. They were sending shot after shot towards the Assumption goal and were matching the Greyhounds in shots early. Then, Assumption when on a five-shot tear before being called for a penalty. Assumption would outshoot WNE on WNE's penalty 3-2 in an effort to level the contest. Aureliano would not budge. WNE kept the momentum building with three shots in a row after the power play. However, Assumption earned a power play chance, and eventually, it would turn into a 5-on-3 power play. Assumption had six shots during both power plays, but WNE would test Hauswirth once also. WNE kept bringing the fight to the Greyhounds. They answered the shots from the Greyhounds with more energy, and it showed. It showed through a second goal. With just under four minutes remaining in the second, Jordie Morgan got the puck and sent it off the boards around mid-ice. Justin Sullivan retrieved the puck and sent a pass to Everest Schneider, who sent a shot at goal. Hauswirth saved the shot, but the rebound found Sullivan, who scored. WNE led 2-0 with 3:47 left in the second. The final 1:56 of the second saw WNE on the penalty kill. Both teams had two shots during the Assumption power play before Jake Mendeszoon received a pass from Matty Zdanowicz, who had gotten the puck from Justin Sullivan behind the net. Mendeszoon fired a one-timer past the Assumption goalie for the shorthanded goal to give WNE the 3-0 lead with 3.4 seconds left in the second. The second saw Assumption lead in shots 24-20 and shots on goal 11-10. However, WNE led in faceoff wins 9-7 and saves 11-8.
It was all Assumption to start the final period of play. They had one shot, then a power play chance, which produced three shots. However, a little over a minute after their power play ended, WNE had a power play begin. Both teams had shots on goal before WNE was called for a penalty, and the teams skated 4-on-4 for twenty-four seconds, with Assumption taking a shot. Assumption then took four shots during their power play and one immediately following it, all saved by Aureliano. WNE answered with more energy and would keep applying pressure through more and more shots. However, they were called for another penalty, and Assumption had five shots on their power play. It was WNE who would score, though. Matthew Dougherty would steal the puck, skate it into the Assumption defensive zone, find Everest Schneider, and Schneider scored. Everest Schneider's shorthanded goal put WNE up 4-0 with 9:01 remaining in the contest. The teams traded possession of the puck for the remaining time, with WNE matching almost every shot from Assumption. They then took six of the final seven shots in the final 4:18 to secure the shutout victory. WNE defeated Assumption by a score of 4-0. Assumption led in shots 76-49, shots on goal 43-22, and blocked shots 13-12. However, WNE led in faceoff wins 28-27 and saves 43-18.
Coach's Corner:
Head coach Mike Young was asked for a comment on the team's performance and what went right for the team during the game. "Full team game. Sacrificed a lot of shots but not a lot of threatening ones, and when they did threaten, we got fantastic goaltending. Penalty kill was great and all 4-lines and 7 defenders played a well structured game," Young stated.
Inside the Crease:
Up Next on the Schedule:
- WNE will face conference foes Nichols College on Friday, January 24, 2025, at 5:40 PM inside Levy Rink in Burrillville, R.I.
- Assumption will host Saint Anselm College on Friday, January 24, 2025, at 5:00 PM inside the Worcester Ice Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.
