Box Score

HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Junior Alex Larson (Madison, Ala.) recorded 26 saves to backstop the Nichols College men's ice hockey team to a 7-1 win over SUNY Cortland in non-conference action Tuesday afternoon at Levy Rink.

Junior Paul Prescott (Oakdale, Minn.) added a pair of goals – giving him six in the last three contests – while sophomore Sean Swansen (Salem, N.H.) racked up a goal and two assists for the Bison (10-2-2), who extended their win streak to four.

Junior Frank Butler (East Haven, Conn.) picked up a goal and an assist while senior Brett Jackson (Larchmont, N.Y.), along with juniors Tyler Beasley (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Sean Fleming (Easthampton, N.J.), each picked up two assists.

The Red Dragons – who were playing their third game in six days following wins over Worcester State (5-0) and Becker (9-4) – trailed 6-0 after 40 minutes of play and were outshot 53-38 on the afternoon. Freshman Drew Weigman (Annapolis, Md.) notched 26 saves in two periods of play before being lifted at the start of the third in favor of sophomore Michael Staversky (Rochester, N.Y.).

Senior captain Evan Jones (Farmington Hills, Mich.) opened the scoring at 10:30 when his wrister from the left point found its way through a screen and inside the left post. Fleming and Swansen were credited with assists on Jones' second goal of the season and fourth of his career.

Later in the first and with a delayed penalty to the Red Dragons, freshman Scott Cuthrell (Waterford, Mich.) collected a shot off the end boards from sophomore Rob Belger (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) and scored from the end line to put Nichols ahead 2-0.

The Bison blew the game open in the second, scoring four times to grab a commanding 6-0 lead. Senior captain Mike Schwartz (Long Beach, N.Y.) lit the lamp just 19 seconds into the period when, after Weigman turned the puck over in the right corner, junior Daniel Bufis (Linden, N.J.) hit Schwartz for the tap-in.

Prescott potted his sixth of the season at 7:09 of the second to make it 4-0 before he polished off a 2-on-1 with Fleming for his seventh at 14:42. Butler's power-play goal at 16:03 came off a deflection of a point shot from Jackson and pushed the lead to 6-0.

Freshman Dan Broderick (White Plains, N.Y.) spoiled Larson's shutout bid 2:21 into the third after converting a feed from senior Nick Zappa (Manlius, N.Y.). Nichols closed the scoring with its second PP goal of the afternoon at 11:50. Senior Kyle Shapiro (Ambler, Pa.) shuffled the puck to Jackson at the top of the crease, and after his shot was turned aside by Staversky, Swanson banged in the rebound for his sixth of the season.

Freshman Colin Brennan (Chester, N.J.) played the final 17:39 between the pipes for Nichols and turned aside all 11 shots he faced.

The Bison play at Morrisville State Friday at 7 p.m. SUNY Cortland hosts Fredonia Friday at 7 p.m.