HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Led by a goal and an assist from Tournament Most Outstanding Player Ryan Gervais (Chicago, Ill.), the Nichols College men's hockey team won the ECAC Northeast Championship, defeating Wentworth, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at Levy Rink. The title marks the first in program history for the Bison, who earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Bison now await the NCAA Tournament bracket announcement Sunday evening to find out where they will make their first-ever appearance in the national championship tournament.

Nichols scored early before Wentworth netted a pair of second-period goals to take a 2-1 lead by the midway mark of the middle frame. The Bison knotted the game with less than a minute to play in the frame to carry a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. Nichols picked up an insurance goal midway through the final frame, and the Leopards edged closer after pulling their goalie, potting their final marker with about 30 seconds left to play.

Will Munson (Corona, Calif.) gave the Bison (25-3-0) the early lead with his team-leading 16th goal of the season just 1:06 into the game. Munson picked up the puck in the neutral zone and skated it in just over the blue line before ripping a slapshot from the right point above Wentworth goaltender Justin Marriott's blocker.

Wentworth (18-8-1) knotted the game just 51 seconds into the second period with a power-play marker, as Skuyler Jameson  tipped in a slapshot that Kyle Richardson hit from the point.

Joey Sides patiently waited before picking off a pass between two Nichols defensemen while on a two-man penalty kill, then skated it the length of the ice and maneuvered past Nichols netminder Jacob Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) at 10:03 to take a 2-1 lead.

The Bison answered right back on the same five-on-three advantage, as Zeke Costello (Shelby Township, Mich.) potted a rebound from a low-angle shot by Anthony Monte (Chicago, Ill.) just 48 seconds later. Gervais set up the play with a long pass to Monte from above the circle.

Nichols attacked on a late power play, as Gervais ripped a slapshot past Marriott's glove at 19:02 of the second period. Costello won the faceoff over to Monte, who touched it back to Jeff Bieber (Littleton, Colo.) at the right point. Bieber slid it across the point to Gervais, who wound up for his 13th goal of the season.

Matt Roberts (Merrimac, Mass.) gave the Bison a 4-2 lead midway through the third period. After collecting a pass from Drew Palmer (Chelmsford, Mass.), who won the puck at the hashmarks, Roberts handled the puck briefly before slipping a wrist shot past Marriott at 10:25.

With their goalie pulled in favor of an extra attacker, Jameson brought the Leopards within one with 30 seconds left in the game. Alan Dionne corralled the puck behind the net and found Casey Shade in the left circle. Shade fired toward the net where Jameson jammed it in.

Rinn made 26 saves to improve to 9-1-0 the season, while Marriott finished with 23 saves to cap the year at 18-8-1,

Nichols finished 2-for-5 on the power play, while Wentworth was 1-for-6. The Leopards held a 29-27 shot advantage.

The Nichols men's hockey team is the second team in the College's history to make an NCAA Tournament appearance; they join the 2002 women's soccer team.

Information about the NCAA Tournament can be found at www.ncaa.com.

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