BOSTON, Mass. (February 7, 2025) – The Western New England men's ice hockey team met the hosting Rams of Suffolk University for the first of three meetings this season and dropped a Conference of New England contest on Friday night by a final score of 9-5, the most goals allowed this season by WNE.

Records:

·      Western New England: 5-14-2, 1-11-2 CNE

·      Suffolk University: 9-10-2, 4-9-1 CNE

How it Happened:

Suffolk would take control of the game in the first period and would never look back, scoring four first-period goals and would run away quickly with the win in the game. Joe O'Brien opened the scoring for Suffolk in the opening two minutes of the game with his fifth goal of the game,, which quickly gave the home team a 1-0 lead. Suffolk had full control of the game as they would score again just three minutes later after WNE would take a penalty; the penalty would be delayed with Suffolk in full possession. The Rams would score with the extra attacker on the ice as Scott McManus also fired home his fifth goal of the season, giving Suffolk a 2-0 lead 5:16 into the game. Suffolk was not done scoring from there in the period as Matt Pimental registered his first goal of the season with 6:13 remaining in the first period, giving the home team a 3-0 lead. The Golden Bears would battle back for a goal in the frame as Benito Calvanese would find the back of the net for the first time this season, an unassisted goal, which dropped Suffolk's lead back down to two with 5:36 to play. That two-goal lead for the Rams lasted less than four minutes as the Golden Bears looked like they were finding their offensive game following the Calvanese goal, but Suffolk would have an answer, grabbing their fourth of the period, taking a 4-1 lead at the end of the first period. The Golden Bears would find their game late but scored just one goal on 16 total shots in the period. Suffolk's CJ Hapward made 15 saves in the first period, while Anthony Aureliano, who played the full first period, made 11 saves.

Suffolk quickly chased Aureliano from the game just 2:18 into the second period when Thomas Dempsey scored his first of the season, which gave Suffolk a 5-1 lead. Logan Palmer would sub in for Western New England and would keep the Rams at bay for as long as possible. Western New England would make an effort to get back into the game as Billy VanSumeren, Jake Mendeszoon, and Joshua Kingsbury would all take shots on goal, but Hapward would have an answer on the Golden Bears in the second period. Suffolk would pick up two more goals in the period to quickly put the game away, scoring their sixth and seventh goals of the period. WNE would strike on the power play with 3:41 to play in the second period as Sam Mitchell found the back of the net on assists from Mendeszoon and Camille Marcoux, scoring his second of the season. Suffolk would have the shots advantage in the second period, 18-8. Palmer recorded 13 saves overall.

No scoring would come about in the third period until Suffolk dropped their eighth goal of the game on Western New England at the 11:54 mark of the frame as Jack Robinson scored his third of the season. Western New England would show late life in the game but it would be too little, too late. The third WNE goal came from Matty Zdanowicz, who launched his fifth goal of the season into the back of the net. Matt Hamacher came up with the assist for WNE on the goal. WNE would pick up a shorthanded goal from Jordie Morgan for his sixth of the season. Everest Schneider picked up the assist on the goal, which gave WNE four on the night. After Suffolk added one more power play goal, Jacob Costa would have his second goal of the season with 3:05 to play, getting assists from Morgan and Matthew Dougherty, which would be the final goal of the game. Western New England would fall by a final score of 9-5.

Inside the Lines:

·      Jordie Morgan was the lone Golden Bear with more than one point on the night, picking up a goal and an assist.

·      Suffolk outshot Western New England 45-33 in the game.

·      Logan Palmer made 23 saves in relief in the game for Western New England.

·      The Golden Bears continue to struggle on the road at Suffolk, not having beaten the Rams in their own barn since 2017.

Up Next on the Schedule:

·      Due to impending weather on Saturday night, Western New England and Suffolk will meet again on Saturday, February 9, at 4:30 PM from the Olympia Ice Center in West Springfield.