SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 2, 2025) – The Golden Bears welcomed the Polar Bears to Springfield on Sunday. It was all Polar Bears early as they scored five in the first quarter and six in the second to take an 11-0 lead in halftime. The Golden Bears held the Polar Bears to only four goals in the second half but could only score two of their own and dropped the game 15-2 despite 19 saves from Jonathon Salsbury.

Records:

• Western New England: 1-3
• Bowdoin College: 2-0

How it Happened:

Beau Burns won the opening faceoff for the Polar Bears, and they would set up their offense before Cormac Walsh found the back of the net to give Bowdoin a quick 1-0 lead. Bowdoin earned possession immediately after the goal and had a shot saved by WNE's Jonathon Salsbury before they had a turnover. WNE had their first offensive possession lost by a turnover. However, Salsbury kept the Golden Bears in the game with a save before Bowdoin hit the post with a shot on the ensuing Bowdoin possession. The Golden Bears tried to start their offense but had another turnover. The teams traded possession of the ball as the defense caused multiple turnovers before Bowdoin doubled their lead via a Jason Lach goal assisted by Cormac Walsh. The Golden Bears would call a timeout after that goal. They were called for a penalty soon after that, and during the man-up opportunity, Bowdoin's Hudson Greene would score off an assist from Casey Ryan to give the Polar Bears a 3-0 lead. Bowdoin won the ensuing faceoff and had a chance, but Salsbury made another save. Salsbury kept up the strong performance with another save after a WNE turnover. However, he could not save the next shot as Patrick Fitzgerald scored off an assist from Casey Ryan. Bowdoin led 4-0 with 3:08 left in the opening quarter. WNE won the ensuing faceoff, but a turnover led to Brooks Kitchel flying down the field and scoring from distance. The visitors led 5-0 with 2:29 remaining. The teams would trade turnovers to conclude the first, with Bowdoin leading 5-0. The first quarter stats saw Bowdoin leading in shots 15-1, faceoff wins 4-2, and ground balls 8-2. WNE had more saves, 5-0.

The second started with a Chris Catuosco faceoff win with Bowdoin goalie, Robert Hobbs, making the first Bowdoin save of the day. Salsbury answered that save with a seventh Golden Bear save. The Polar Bears struck again 4:02 into the second with a goal scored by Jason Lach, assisted by Avery Kirby. Bowdoin led 6-0. Bowdoin would win the faceoff again, and Michael Norton would fire a shot into the back of the net to give Bowdoin the 7-0 lead just under a minute after the last goal. The Golden Bears would get a shot but could not find the back of the netting. The teams traded turnovers before Bowdoin extended their lead with a Patrick Fitzgerald goal with 7:13 remaining in the first. WNE trailed 8-0. The Polar Bears followed that up with a timeout in their next possession following a WNE turnover. Bowdoin started quickly after the turnover with a quick shot that Slasbury made a great save on. After a couple of turnovers, the Golden Bears had their best chance glance off the crossbar. Bowdoin would take the ball down the field, and Patrick Fitzgerald would claim a first-half hat trick on a goal assisted by Casey Ryan. Bowdoin led 9-0 with 3:37 remaining in the first half. Nico Schermer scored a Polar Bear goal sixteen seconds later, and Bowdoin led 10-0. Bowdoin kept adding goals as Michael Norton would score off an assist from Patrick Fitzgerald 43 seconds after the tenth goal. The Polar Bears led by eleven. The first half would conclude with a few turnovers from both teams, and the Polar Bears took an 11-0 lead into halftime. The first-half stats saw Bowdoin leading in shots 25-6, ground balls 20-6, and caused turnovers 5-2. The Golden Bears led 7-1 in saves. Bowdoin was 10-10 in clear attempts and saw Patrick Fitzgerald net a first-half hat trick.

The second half started with another Salsbury save for WNE before a WNE turnover gave the Polar Bears another chance, and they capitalized with a goal from Huck Trafton 59 seconds into the third quarter. A little over a minute later, Cormac Walsh scored for the Polar Bears, assisted by Huck Trafton, and Bowdoin led 13-0. WNE was called for a penalty during the next Polar Bear possession, but Bowdoin could not take advantage of the man-up chance. The teams had a couple of turnovers before Hobbs made a huge save during a 2-1 WNE chance in front of the Bowdoin goal to keep the Bowdoin shutout alive. Salsbury answered with a matching save in the WNE defensive zone. The goalies traded saves for a little while before a WNE turnover led to Chris Berry sending a shot from just over midfield into the net, and Bowdoin led 14-0 with 6:17 left in the third quarter. After a Salsbury save, WNE got a man-up opportunity after a Bowdoin penalty, but they could not capitalize. Possession was traded back and forth for the remaining time in the third quarter, and with 25 seconds left in the third quarter, Jason Lach earned the hat trick and scored the fifteenth goal for the Polar Bears. Bowdoin led 15-0 with one quarter of play remaining. The stats showed Bowdoin leading in shots 40-8, ground balls 35-15, and caused turnovers 7-4. WNE led 13-3 in saves.

The fourth quarter saw Alec Delgado enter as the Bowdoin goalie. Chris Catuosco would win the fourth quarter opening faceoff, and WNE's possession would lead to Delgado earning the first save of Delgado's day. Salsbury answered with a fourteenth save on the day. The Golden Bears had a prime chance with 10:44 remaining in the game, but Delgado made the save to hold on to the shutout at that point. After a Bowdoin Turnover, WNE would earn a man-up chance and capitalize with a Griffin LaRochelle goal. WNE trailed 15-1 with 7:48 left in the game. Thirty-five seconds later, WNE would score again. Jack Houlden scored the goal off an assist from Anthony Gesino. WNE trailed 15-2. The teams traded shots and possession for a little while. Salsbury picked up another save during that sequence. Neither team would get another goal despite multiple shots being taken between the two teams, and Bowdoin College won 15-2. The final stats showed Bowdoin leading in shots 56-16, ground balls 42-22, and caused turnovers 10-5. WNE led in saves 19-5.

Inside the Lines:

• The Polar Bears' 15 goals were led by Patrick Fitzgerald and Jason Lach, who each netted a hat trick of goals.
• Casey Ryan led the Polar Bears with three assists, and Patrick Fitzgerald led in points with four.
• Beau Burns and Jason Lach each picked up four ground balls to lead Bowdoin in that category.
• Jack Gara led the Golden Bears with three caused turnovers.
• Ryan Quinlan led WNE with four ground balls picked up.
• Jonathon Salsbury led all goalies with 19 saves.
• WNE fell to Bowdoin 15-2.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears will stay in Springfield and host Babson College on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 1:00 PM. WNE is 7-3 since 2004 versus the Beavers in this matchup.