Box Score

CANTON, N.Y. – Sophomore and reigning ECAC Northeast Rookie of the Year Tyler Beasley (Indianapolis, Ind.) scored a pair of goals and added an assist as the Nichols College men's ice hockey team opened the 2013-14 campaign with a 5-1 win at SUNY Canton Sunday afternoon at the Roos House.

Sophomore Frank Butler (East Haven, Conn.) also scored a pair of goals while classmate and reigning ECAC Northeast Goalie of the Year Alex Larson (Madison, Ala.) recorded 25 saves. Senior captain Josh DeLoach (Tampa, Fla.) handed out a pair of assists as seven different Bison picked up at least one point.

The Bison outshot the Kangaroos 42-26 and are now unbeaten in its last nine openers (7-0-2).

Nichols grabbed a 1-0 lead with just 15 seconds remaining in the first period when Beasley converted a pass from DeLoach to send the Bison into the intermission with the lead.

Nichols potted three goals in a span of 1:11 in the second period to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Beasley and DeLoach hooked up once again at 3:20 to double Nichols' lead before senior captain Greg Strootman (Aston, Pa.) banged home a feed from junior Joe Sposit (Cleveland, Ohio) to make it 3-0 less than 60 seconds later. Butler's first of the game from sophomore Paul Prescott (Oakdale, Minn.) and junior Kyle Shapiro (Ambler, Pa.) with the man advantage at 4:14 closed the run.

In the third, Beasley fed Butler for a shot that beat SUNY Canton freshman goaltender Christopher Marsillo (Lincroft, N.J.) to stretch the lead to five. Sophomore Saylor Preston (Winnipeg, Manitoba) spoiled Larson's shutout bid with only nine second remaining in the third.

The Bison host Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast rival Curry Saturday at 6:40 p.m. The Kangaroos play at Fredonia State Friday at 7 p.m.