KEENE, N.H. (February 19, 2025) – The Golden Bears looked to bounce back after a hard-fought double-overtime loss to No. 10 St.Lawrence University on Wednesday afternoon. The Golden Bears would trail 5-2 early but would see a big third quarter have, them leading 9-6 after the third. The Owls scored four goals in 1:04 to send the game to Overtime before Max Rudgers ended the game with a Golden Bear goal with 1:19 left in the first Overtime.

Records:

• Western New England: 1-1
• Keene State College: 0-2

How it Happened:

WNE started the game with a Chris Catuosco faceoff win. After the teams traded a turnover each, Jack Gara would scoop up the ball for the Golden Bears, which led to a clear, and Griffin LaRochelle's third goal of the season. Catuosco won the ensuing faceoff, leading to a Zachary Mein goal, his second of the season, assisted by Josh Ganon. 2:52 into the game, and the Golden Bears led 2-0. Then, the Owls were called for an illegal body check, but a Dylan Florian save led to the Owls clearing the ball and not letting up a man-down goal. The teams then traded a few shots, and Florian made another save for the Owls. Then, following a shot that went wide from Nicholas McNulty, McNulty fired another shot at the net and scored. The Owls cut the WNE lead in half to 2-1. The Owls peppered the Golden Bears with three shots in a row after that before WNE could have a shot, but it went wide, and the team turned the ball over. Braden Civiello made the first save for the Golden Bears with 4:00 left in the first quarter. The defense continued to cause turnovers for each team as neither offense could find their rhythm yet. KSC had a man-up opportunity for thirty seconds with 1:42 remaining in the first, but WNE would keep the Owls from tying the game at two. That score would stand through the end of the first, as Florian made a save just as the quarter ended. After the first, KDC led in shots 8-6 and saves 3-2. Catuosco won all four faceoff attempts for the Golden Bears, and they also had more clears 6-3 and ground balls 9-4 in the first. WNE led 2-1 after the first.

The second did not start the way the Golden Bears wanted. Outside of an opening faceoff win from Catuosco, WNE turned the ball over and saw Rex Maccarini find Dylan Seymour for the game-tying goal for KSC. The score was tied 2-2 1:25 into the second quarter. After another Cauosco faceoff win, KSC was called for a tipping penalty, which gave WNE the extra-man opportunity. WNE called timeout to talk out their strategy and saw WNE get two shots, both of which went wide of the net. Civiello made another save for the Golden Bears after another WNE turnover. However, both teams continued to create turnovers, and the Owls had the ball back. That led to a Jake Dubiel goal, which gave the Owls the 3-2 lead, their first lead of the game. LaRochelle would end the Golden Bears' skid with a goal 1:31 later after the Golden Bears caused a ninth Owls' turnover. The score was tied once again, 3-3. After an eighth consecutive Catuosco faceoff win, the Owls would cause another WNE turnover before calling a timeout with 7:20 remaining in the first half. The Golden Bears would cause a turnover and then earn an extra-man opportunity with 5:51 remaining in the half. However, Florian would make a save, and the Owls would end the chance for the Golden Bears. Then, Rex Maccarini gave the Owls the lead back with 3:48 remaining in the half. Maccarini doubled the Owls' lead with 2:29 remaining off an assist from Tim Kelleher. KSC led 5-3. With forty-two seconds, KSC called a timeout and set up a shot, but it hit the post. Then, they called a timeout after a Golden Bear ground ball. WNE would turn the ball over to end the first half down 5-3. First-half stats saw WNE losing the shot battle 16-11, saves 4-3, and turnovers 16-11. Catuosco won all ten faceoffs in the first half, and WNE had more ground balls, 18-11.

Jonathon Salsbury would start the second half in goal for WNE. Catuosco won an eleventh faceoff in a row to start the second half, and then KSC was called for an illegal procedure penalty. However, the Golden Bears could not capitalize. Then, at 2:46 in the third quarter, Jack Houlden cut into the Owls' lead with Houlden's first goal of the season for WNE. That was followed by yet another Cautosco faceoff win. Cautosco looked for a faceoff win and score, but Florian made the save. The teams went back and forth before a delay of game penalty was called against the Owls, and Logan Jenkins scored on the extra-man opportunity off a Zachary Mein assist. The game was tied 5-5. Twelve seconds later, WNE retook the lead off a Devin Richard goal. James Wryn picked up the assist. That was Richard's first career Golden Bear goal. The teams traded the ball back and forth for a few minutes before KSC was called for another penalty, and Griffin LaRochelle scored the hat-trick goal a man-up with 6:32 left in the third off an assist from Logan Jenkins. The Owls would not shy away from the WNE four-goal run. Giacomo Tedone scored almost two minutes later to cut the WNE to 7-6. Then, after a WNE penalty, Chris Catuosco won the faceoff and went down the field to score the eighth WNE goal on the KSC extra-man opportunity. That was Catuosco's first of the season. WNE extended their lead 2:31 before the end of the third with a Josh Gagnon goal. Jack Houlden tried to extend the lead even more nine seconds before the end of the third, but Florian made another save for the Owls. The third quarter saw the stats swing in the favor of the Golden Bears. WNE had more shots 11-5, faceoff wins 6-2, and ground balls 9-6. KSC led in saves 4-1 and had fewer turnovers, with WNE having five and KSC having four. WNE led 9-6 leading into the fourth quarter of play.

The Owls started the fourth with an extra-man opportunity, but Salsbury made sure they did not capitalize on their chances, making two saves. The Golden Bear possession after the save led to Devin Richard finding Jack Houlden for Houlden's second goal of the game 1:17 into the fourth quarter. WNE led 10-6. After a few turnovers from the two teams, Dylan Seymour would scoop up the ground ball, run down the field, and eventually find Adam Scala, who hit the netting with a shot to cut the WNE lead to 10-7 with 11:31 remaining in the game. The teams went back and forth, with Florian and Salsbury making saves and the defenses causing more and more turnovers. Then, WNE was called for two penalties, and KSC had a two-extra-man opportunity. KSC would hit the post with their only shot of the chance. Then, after another KSC shot, WNE called a timeout. They would cause a turnover after the timeout, gain the successful clear, and Josh Gagnon would score to give WNE the 11-7 lead. The teams traded possession before another WNE penalty was called, and KSC had a minute-long extra-man opportunity. The Golden Bears thwarted that chance early by causing a turnover. With 1:16 remaining in the contest, KSC started to press more and had a shot go wide with 1:16 remaining in the game before Giacomo Tedone scored off a Dylan Seymoure assist. WNE still led 11-8. KSC called a timeout right after the goal. Aidan Donahue won the following faceoff for the Owls before they had a shot go high of the goal. Dylan Seymour closed more ground with a goal. WNE led 11-9. Then, after a turnover by WNE, Rex Maccarini would score, and KSC was only down 11-10 with twenty-four seconds remaining in the game. With four seconds left in the game, KSC completed the comeback to force Overtime with the teams tied 11-11. Giacomo Tedone scored off an assist from Rex Maccarini to force Overtime. The regular time stats saw KSC leading in shots 34-30 and saves 10-8. WNE had more ground balls 37-24, clears 17-16, and faceoffs 21-4.

Overtime saw Rocco DeSimone win the opening faceoff before a WNE shot went high of the goal. WNE would turn the ball over, leading to a KSC shot blocked. WNE would clear the ball and call timeout after the KSC shot. The Golden Bears would then see Max Rudgers pick up a loose ball in front of the goal and score to give WNE the 12-11 overtime victory. The final stats saw KSC leading in shots 35-32, saves 10-8, and caused turnovers 17-8. WNE led in faceoffs 22-4, clears 18-16, and ground balls 39-24.

Inside the Lines:

• The Golden Bears would leave Keene, N.H., with their first win of the season after coming back from being down 5-3 at halftime and holding on for the 12-11 OT win. 
• Griffin LaRochelle led the Golden Bears with a hat-trick of goals on four shots on goal. LaRochelle also caused a KSC turnover.
• Josh Gagnon scored two goals on two shots on goal during the Wednesday matinee game.
• Jack Houlden also had two goals during the game, with the two goals being his first two of the season.
• Chris Catuosco and Devin Richard both scored their first goals of the season, with Richard scoring a first career goal.
• Chris Catuosco won 100% of the faceoffs taken by Catuosco, going 19-19 from the faceoff spot.
• Anthony Gesino caused a team-leading two turnovers and picked up three ground balls.
• Keene State was led by Rex Maccarini and Giacomo Tedone, who each had a hat-trick of goals and helped lead KSC to a four-goal comeback with 1:04 left in the game to send it to Overtime.
• WNE defeated Keene State 12-11 in Overtime for their tenth win over the Owls in 13 matchups.

Up Next on the Schedule:

The Golden Bears are back on the field on  Friday, February 28, 2025, at 6:00 PM when they travel to Cambridge, Massachusetts, for a showdown with MIT.