Box Score Box Score
POMFRET, CT- For the first time in school history, the third-seeded Nichols College men's hockey team has advanced to the ECAC Northeast Finals with a 4-2 win over fifth-seeded Suffolk University on Wednesday at Jahn Rink. The Bison stormed out to a 2-0 lead after one period and kept the lead for good as they improve to 20-6-1 overall on the season. The Rams end their season with a 13-14 mark. Nichols will face defending conference champion UMass-Dartmouth in the championship game this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Hetland Rink in New Bedford, Mass.
Nichols came out firing, scoring a short-handed goal 5:03 into the game. Sophomore Eric Cremer (Chelsea, MI) and freshman Will Munson (Corona, CA) connected on a 2-1 breakaway.
Junior Jeff Bieber (Littleton, CO) gave the Bison a 2-0 lead at the 13:21 mark with the assists going to freshman Billy Sabia (Ridgefield, CT) and freshman Frank Consentino (Norwalk, CT). Overall, Nichols out-shot Suffolk 14-9 in the period.
Suffolk answered with a short-handed goal of its own to cut Nichols lead to one, 2-1, midway through the second period. Senior Dan Pencinger (Randolph, NJ) went one-on-one with junior Keith Fink (Easton, MD), beating him for his 22nd goal of the season. Nichols once again had the edge on shots, out-shooting the Rams 19-12.
Cremer netted his second goal of the game just 1:25 into the final period on a power play to give the Bison a 3-1 lead as he again hooked up with Munson. The Rams responded with a power play goal of their own a minute and 43 seconds later to bring it back to a one goal game. Junior Mitch Sabo (Bell Canyon, CA) scored the goal for Suffolk while junior Kyle Cook (Chino Hills, CA) was credited with the assist.
Looking to get the equalizer with time running out, Suffolk pulled its goalie Jeff Rose (Collinsville, Conn.) with 49 seconds left but the Bison were able to put a seal on the victory with an empty net goal just four seconds later. Freshman Jean-Marc Biron (Atlanta, GA) scored the goal with freshman Matt Roberts (Merrimac, MA) earning the assist.
Fink finished with 24 saves in his 17th win of the year. Rose made a total of 47 saves in the losing effort.
