BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore
T.J. Roche (Northport, N.Y.) scored his first two goals of the season to propel the Nichols College men's ice hockey team to a 5-2 win over Stonehill College Friday night at the Boston Landing Collegiate Invitational at Warrior Ice Arena.
Freshman
J.B. Baker (Columbia, Md.) collected a goal and three helpers to help the Bison advance to tomorrow night's championship contest against No. 10 Buffalo State, which defeated Becker 6-2 earlier in the day. Junior
Scott Cuthrell (Waterford, Mich.) picked up three helpers and surpassed the 50-point mark for his career.
Freshman Connor Cassidy (Wilmington, Del.) scored his fourth goal of the season for the Skyhawks, who saw sophomore netminder Billy Palmer (Cranston, R.I.) turn aside 33 shots. Senior Evan Jacques (Norton, Mass.) added is eighth goal of the season with 2:39 remaining in the third.
After Cassidy opened the scoring just 1:01 into the contest, Roche cut in from the point and one-timed a pass from Cuthrell past Palmer to tie the game at 9:11. Less than six minutes later, his second marker of the evening off a pass from Baker doubled the lead heading into the intermission.
Freshman
Ryan Hunter (Missisauga, Ontario) scored his first of two goals on the evening on a delayed penalty 1:30 into the second. Thirty-three seconds later, Baker potted his ninth of the season, redirecting a shot from sophomore
Matthew Menta (Lima, Pa.) to make it 4-1. Hunter's second came at 11:04 of the second.
Nichols outshot the Skyhawks 38-23 and went 3-for-8 with the man advantage. The Bison also killed off all three Stonehill PP chances.
All-Time Series
Tonight's meeting marked the 48th all-time meeting between Nichols College and Stonehill College. The win extends the Bison's winning streak over the Skyhawks to three, and they have now won eight of the last nine and 10 of the last 12 against their Massachusetts rivals.
Next Games
Nichols (9-3-2) – Saturday, January 7 vs Buffalo St., 7:40 p.m.
Stonehill (3-9-2) – Saturday, January 7 vs Becker, 4:40 p.m.
