Box Score NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. (February 20, 2026) – The Golden Bears traveled to North Smithfield, Rhode Island, for their final road contest of the regular season. The Wildcats would pick up the opening goal in the first and extend their lead to three in the second. However, the Golden Bears did not go away without a fight. Mikayla Mrzywka and Maddie Pope scored late in the second and early in the third to get the team back in the game. However, JWU held on and won the game 4-2.
Records:
Western New England: 16-7-1 (12-4-1)
Johnson & Wales University: 12-11-1 (9-7-1)
How it Happened:
First Period:

• The Wildcats earned an early power play to start the evening's contest. They would capitalize on it also. After a shot wide from both teams, Allyson Barry netted the opening goal off an assist from Ashley Bergeron. JWU led 1-0 with 13:40 left in the opening period of play.
• The teams traded shots for a while before the Golden Bears were called for their second penalty of the day. However, this time, the Golden Bears and goalie Rachael Irving denied all seven shots and killed off the power play.
• WNE ended the first with five out of the final seven shots to try to build some momentum going into the second period of play. The stats favored the Wildcats in the first. They led in shots 27-16, shots on goal 10-5, and faceoff wins 12-7. WNE had more saves, 9-5.

Second Period:

• JWU would stop that momentum quickly as Allyson Barry scored their second power play goal of the evening 3:14 into the second. Kylie O'Keefe and Jordan Hopping were credited with the assists. Just over three minutes later, Ava Morgan scored for the Wildcats. Sophia Brea assisted the goal, and just like that, JWU led 3-0.
• The teams then traded shots for most of the second before the Golden Bears earned their first power play of the evening. After three shots, Mikayla Mrzywka found the back of the net to cut the lead to two. JWU led 3-1 after the goal assisted by Michaela Birmingham and Lilly Ainley with 1:15 left in the second.
• The momentum had shifted towards the Golden Bears after the goal, and WNE got four of the next five shots. The second period of play saw WNE lead in shots 23-19, saves 12-8, and faceoff wins 14-10. However, the Wildcats still led 14-9 in shots on goal.

Third Period:

• The Golden Bears kept the momentum rolling with a short-handed goal from Maddie Pope at 3:28 into the third and final period of play. Mabel Gerard and Lilly Ainley had the assists. WNE now trailed 3-2.
• As the third continued to play out, WNE had six shots in a row and continued to hold the momentum. However, a penalty would slow down the momentum, and time would start to run out for the Golden Bears.
• They had the majority of the shots as the contest came to a close, but Avery Hall made the saves for JWU to close out the game after an empty-netter goal from Marissa Lafferty, assisted by Grace Adams. The Wildcats won 4-2. The final stats saw WNE end the game with more shots, 72-62, and faceoff wins 35-32. The Wildcats had more blocked shots, 20-15, and saves, 28-25. Both teams had 30 shots on goal.

Inside the Crease:

• WNE fell to JWU 4-2 on Friday.
• Allyson Barry led the Wildcats with two goals and an assist. Ava Morgan and Marissa Lafferty also contributed goals to the Wildcat win.
• Six Wildcats had an assist in the contest.
• Mikayla Mrzywka and Maddie Pope scored for WNE in the defeat.
• Avery Hall earned the win for JWU with 28 saves and a .933 save percentage.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE will return to West Springfield and the Olympia Ice Center to host the University of New England Nor'Easters on Saturday, February 20, 2026, at 1:30 PM on Senior Day.