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MIH 11.20
5
Winner JWU (Providence) JWU 3-2-1, 1-2-0
2
Western New Eng. WNE 0-5-0, 0-4-0
Winner
JWU (Providence) JWU
3-2-1, 1-2-0
5
Final
2
Western New Eng. WNE
0-5-0, 0-4-0
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
JWU (Providence) JWU 1 1 3 5
Western New Eng. WNE 1 0 1 2

Game Recap: Men's Ice Hockey |

Golden Bears Fall to Wildcats 5-2 On Thursday Evening

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (November 20, 2025) – A closely contested midweek matchup between the Wildcats and Golden Bears saw WNE earn the first goal, but give up two goals after that to trail 2-1 going into the final period of play. Four more goals were scored in the third period, but JWU would claim three of them, and the Golden Bears would drop their fifth game of the season 5-2.

Records:

Western New England: 0-5-0 (0-4-0)

Johnson & Wales University: 3-2-1 (1-2-0)

How it Happened:

First Period:

  • Nikita Volsky and Jake Inzirillo got the starts for WNE and JWU, respectively.
  • The Golden Bears got out to a quick start thanks to a couple of shots and a Stepan Kuznetsov goal. The goal came off a Michael Bottrell faceoff win. WNE led 1-0 2:54 into the game.
  • The teams would send shots back and forth, with the Golden Bears having the majority of the aggression and hits, trying to put their stamp on the game early.
  • 8:36 into the contest, JWU found the early equalizer. Connor Nelson would send the puck into the goal after a Cullen Hennessy pass across the goal and a Jack Gerne second assist. The score was knotted at one.
  • JWU then accumulated the next eleven shots in a row. WNE had two before JWU picked up seven more shots in a row.
  • Towards the end of the period, both teams picked up penalties and skated 4-on-4. The Wildcats would continue to build on their momentum with a few more shots, and the period ended soon after those penalties, tied at one.
  • First period stats favored JWU 18-4 in shots on goal, 29-14 in shots, 4-1 in blocked shots, and 14-10 in faceoff wins. Volsky had more saves, 17-3.

Second Period:

  • The Golden Bears would start quickly again, but it was the Wildcats who got the go-ahead goal after the Golden Bears had nine of the first ten shots. Chris Alexander found the back of the net after assists from Harout Torosian and Roman Wainwright. WNE trailed 2-1 4:15 into the second.
  • The teams traded before two penalties were assessed, with one for each team. However, WNE was a major, and JWU had a three-minute power play chance.
  • Shots were 4-1 in favor of the Wildcats during that period. However, WNE did not give up a goal and started to gain some momentum.
  • JWU extinguished that momentum by having the next six shots. Both teams traded shots before the period ended. WNE trailed 2-1 going into the third.
  • The second saw WNE trail 24-22 in shots and 15-11 in shots on goal. WNE led in blocked shots 4-3, 14-11 in saves, and 11-8 in faceoff wins.

Third Period:

  • The third period saw the Wildcats finish the game in style.
  • The teams would trade runs on shots throughout the opening portion of the third period of play.
  • After it looked like the Golden Bears were finding momentum, Roman Wainwright sent the puck back into the goal after a Chris Alexander shot was saved, and JWU had a 3-1 lead. Brad Guden also had an assist on the goal at 9:16.
  • 1:12 after the third JWU goal, Roman Wainwright found a second goal off an assist from Joseph Sciabarra. JWU led 4-1 with less than ten minutes remaining in the contest.
  • The Golden Bears would enter a power-play chance with just over eight minutes left in the game. Six seconds later, Stepan Kuznetsov had a power play goal thanks to assists from Michael Bottrell, who won the faceoff, and Brayden Patricia. WNE trailed 4-2 with 7:58 remaining.
  • WNE had another power play chance with 5:20 remaining in the contest. However, three shots were guided away from the net, and WNE's power play came and went without a goal.
  • WNE had a couple of shot chances before Cullen Hennessy put the final shot in the goal with an empty net. Connor Nelson and Jack Gerne were credited with the assist after Gerne tracked down a potential icing call to lead to the goal. WNE trailed 5-2 with twenty-five seconds remaining.
  • That is how the score would stand, and soon after the fifth JWU goal, the final score stood 5-2.

Inside the Crease:

  • The Golden Bears dropped a midweek conference clash with JWU 5-2.
  • 1st Period 2:54: Stepan Kuznetsov scored off a faceoff win from Michael Bottrell. WNE led 1-0.
  • 1st Period 8:36: Connor Nelson equalized with a goal assisted by Collen Hennessy and Jack Gerne. The game was tied 1-1.
  • 2nd Period 4:15: Chris Alexander scored off assists from Harout Torosian and Roman Wainwright. WNE trailed 2-1.
  • 3rd Period 9:16: Roman Wainwright scored the game-winning goal for JWU off assists from Chris Alexander and Brad Guden. WNE trailed 3-1.
  • 3rd Period 10:28: Roman Wainwright scored a second goal on the evening off an assist from Joseph Sciabarra. WNE trailed 4-1.
  • 3rd Period 12:02: Stepan Kuznetsov found a second goal of the evening off assists from Brayden Patricia and Michael Bottrell. WNE trailed 4-2.
  • 3rd Period 19:35: Cullen Hennessy scored an empty-net goal with twenty-five seconds left, assisted by Connor Nelson and Jack Gerne. WNE lost 5-2.
  • Final Stats: JWU had more shots, 68-57, shots on goal, 42-26, faceoff wins, 35-32, and blocked shots, 14-5. WNE had more saves, 37-24.

Up Next on the Schedule:

  • WNE will take a day off before traveling to Middletown, Rhode Island, and Howard Rink for a matchup with the Seahawks of Salve Regina University on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
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