Box Score HARRISVILLE, R.I. – The 13th-ranked Nichols College men's hockey team tied the program record for wins in a season, edging its record to 20-2 overall with a 5-3 victory over Assumption in ECAC Northeast action at June Rockwell Levy Rink Sunday evening. Junior forward Eric Cremer (Chelsea, Mich.) netted the game-winning goal for the Bison, who stand atop the ECAC Northeast standings with a record of 14-1. Assumption dips to 6-13-4 overall and 4-10-3 in conference play.
The Ice Dogs took a 1-0 lead in the first period, after Adam Gaudreau potted the rebound off a quick shot from Dennis Silvio on the power play at 16:55. Silvio carried the puck down the right side before firing at Nichols netminder Keith Fink (Easton, Md.). The Bison senior made the pad save, but Gaudreau picked up the rebound and planted it in the open left side of the net.
Nichols came alive in the second period, taking a 2-1 lead with goals less than a minute apart by the 5:28 mark, then added another pair of goals in a 1:44 span late in the frame to carry a 4-1 lead into the second intermission.
Will Munson (Corona, Calif.) found Cole Ruwe (Pekin, Ill.) at the blue line before Ruwe fired from the left point, finding Ryan Gervais (Chicago, Ill.) in the slot for a tip-in goal at 4:16. Brett Englebright (Pekin, Ill.) stuffed in his own rebound after a pass from Anthony Monte (Chicago, Ill.) for the go-ahead goal.
Dan Styrna (Vancouver, British Columbia) gave Nichols a 3-1 lead at the 16:04 mark off of assists from Englebright and Cremer. Cremer capped the period's scoring by one-timing a centering pass at the netfront from behind the net by Munson.
Zeke Costello (Shelby Township, Mich.) made it 5-1 in favor of the home team with a power-play score at 3:35 of the third period, roofing an across-the-netfront feed from JoJo Bojanowski (Washington Township, Mich.) after Drew Palmer (Chelmsford, Mass.) found Bojanowski from behind the net.
Assumption got a pair back in the third, both power-play scores courtesy of freshman Taylor Larsen. Patrick Fitzgibbons and Pat O'Kane connected with the rookie for both scores, the first of which came on a two-man advantage as Nichols was killing off a major penalty at 9:43. Larsen capped the scoring at 11:50 with his team-leading 11th goal of the season.
Freshman Nick Blanchette made 41 saves in the loss, while Fink stopped 13 shots to improve to 11-1 on the season.
Nichols is back in action on Wednesday when the Bison travel to UMass Dartmouth for a 7:30 p.m. ECAC Northeast game. Assumption travels to Worcester State Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. conference faceoff.
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