Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior Frank Butler (East Haven, Conn.) registered his first collegiate hat trick as the Nichols College men's ice hockey team secured home ice advantage in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast playoffs with a 5-2 win at Western New England Saturday afternoon at Smead Arena.

Sophomore Sean Swansen (Salem, N.H.) chipped in with a goal and an assist as the Bison captured first-place for the second-straight season. They also reached the 18-win plateau for just the third time in program history (2005-06; 2013-14). Junior Tyler Bealsey (Indianapolis, Ind.) dished out three assists while senior Sean Fleming (Easthampton, N.J.) had two.

Senior Andy Cramer (New Wilmington, Pa.) tallied a goal and an assist for the Golden Bears (5-14-3, 5-7-0 ECAC Northeast).

Swansen's PP marker 2:49 into the contest put the Bison up 1-0. Senior Joe Sposit (Cleveland, Ohio) took a wrist shot from the right point that Swansen redirected. Junior Chris Lembo (Southington, Conn.) tied the game at one at 10:58 before Butler's goal through the legs of the netminder from the right circle off a feed from Beasley put Nichols ahead 2-1 after 20 minutes of play. Freshman Scott Brown (Sewickley, Pa.) recorded 20 saves for the Golden Bears in the opening stanza.

Freshman Scott Cuthrell (Waterford, Mich.) potted what proved to be the game-winner 1:30 into the second period with assists going to Fleming and Swansen. Third-period goals from Butler at 47 seconds and 7:52 of the third sealed the win for Nichols. Cramer closed the scoring with his fourth at 9:16.

Junior Alex Larson (Madison, Ala.) stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced to improve to 16-2-3 on the season. Freshman Colin Brennan (Chester, N.J.) played the final 5:21 and turned aside two shots. Brown, meanwhile, made 38 saves.

Nichols outshot the Golden Bears 43-31.

The Bison and Golden Bears close the regular season with a 1:10 p.m. contest at Levy Rink on Sunday.