Box Score

PAWTUCKET, R.I. - The Nichols College men's ice hockey team suffered a 4-3 setback to ECAC Northeast foe Johnson & Wales on Saturday evening at Lynch Arena. With the win Johnson & Wales is now 7-10-0 for the year and 3-3 in the ECAC Northeast while Nichols falls to 10-7 on the season and 3-3 in league play. 
 
The two teams battled back and forth through an evenly played scoreless first period with Nichols holding a 12-10 advantage in shots for the stanza.
 
Johnson & Wales got on the board just 3:23 into the second period when a power play goal by freshman Josh Obregon (Omaha, Neb.) put in a pass from fellow rookie Daniel Chang (Woodland Hills, Calif.) to make the score 1-0.  Nichols responded quickly, however when first-year Tyler Beasley (Indianapolis, Ind.) scored off of a pass from sophomore Joe Sposit (Cleveland, Ohio) to knot the game at 1-1.  The visiting Bison then capitalized on a power play goal at the 7:19 mark on an unassisted tally by sophomore Mike Schiavone (Chicago, Ill.) to take the 2-1 lead.  JWU evened the game just :30 seconds later when junior Justin Decowski (Hamilton, N.J.) put in a rebounded shot from junior Eddie Patterson (Ciniminson, N.J.), making the score 2-2.  The Wildcats then regained their lead after senior Trevor Jewell (Muskegon, Mich.) blasted in a shot from the point on a power play at 12:12.  Seniors Danny Kaufman (Scotch Plains, N.J.) and Jason Pietrasiak (Shrewsbury, Mass.) assisted in the goal.  JWU took the one goal lead into the cloak room after two periods of play.
 
After being awarded a five minute major early in the third period, JWU capitalized and Pietrasiak added an insurance goal on a power play goal with assists to Jewell and sophomore Alex Porrier (Rutland, Vt.) with 9:41 left in the contest, giving the Wildcats the 4-2 advantage.  Once again Nichols converted a power play opportunity with 6:08 left on a goal by senior Zach Kohn (Delafield, Wis.), making the score 4-3.  The Bison had their chances down the stretch, including a shot that hit the post with just over four minutes remaining.  That would be as close as Nichols would get, however as JWU held on for the 4-3 victory.
 
Senior Matt Cooper (Perrysburg, Ohio) recorded 32 saves in the victory for Johnson & Wales while rookie Alex Larson (Madison, Ala.) had 30 stops in the loss for Nichols. 
 
Nichols travels to Salve Regina on Wednesday for a 7:35 p.m. ECAC Northeast tilt. Johnson & Wales also hits the road on Wednesday with a trip to Suffolk for an ECAC Northeast contest starting at 7:25 p.m.

Courtesy Johnson & Wales Sports Information