Box Score PAWTUCKET, R.I. –  Junior Cody Rodgers (Austin, Texas.) recorded two goals and an assist to lift the Nichols College men's ice hockey team to a 4-2 win at Johnson & Wales (RI) Thursday night in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Lynch Arena.
 
Freshman J.B. Baker (Columbia, Md.) picked up an assist on each of the Bison's first three goals before burying an empty-netter with 90 seconds remaining in regulation. Junior Scott Cuthrell (Watertown, Mich.) collected a goal and an assist while junior netminder Colin Brennan (Chester, N.J.) stopped 26 shots – including all 14 he faced in the third period – to earn his fifth win of the season.
 
Sophomore Chad Guderian (Coppell, Texas) and freshman Tristan Goodwin (East Haven, Conn.) each potted goals for the Wildcats, who surrendered three power-play goals to the Bison. Senior Joey Ballmer (Kalamazoo, Mich.) made 29 saves.
 
Rodgers put the Bison ahead at 11:02 of the first when he lifted a shot over Ballmer and into the top corner. Goodwin tied the game at one at 2:16 with a goal in close, and Goodwin buried a backhand shot on a short-handed 2-on-1 to put the home team ahead at 12:18. Rodgers' second PP marker of the night less than four minutes later sent the game into the second intermission tied at two.
 
In the third, Rodgers send a slap pass from the right point to Cuthrell at the left post, and the alternate captain tapped it in with 6:35 to go to give the Bison a 3-2 lead. Baker's empty-netter on a breakaway secured the victory.
 
All-Time Series
Tonight's contest marked the 30^th all-time meeting between Nichols College and Johnson & Wales (RI) University. The Bison have won six of the last eight meetings and lead the series, 18-11-1.
 
Next Games
Nichols (6-3-1, 5-1-1 CCC) – Saturday, December 3 @ Suffolk, 7:00 p.m.
Johnson & Wales (RI) (3-6-2, 1-5-1 CCC) – Saturday, December 3 vs Salve Regina, 7:00 p.m.