HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Sophomore
J.B. Baker collected five points on two goals and three helpers to help the Nichols College men's ice hockey team hand No. 2 Endicott a 6-1 loss – its first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) loss of the season Friday night at Levy Rink.
Senior captain
Scott Cuthrell and junior
Matthew Menta each picked up a goal and three assists for the Bison, who remained perfect in 2018 at 4-0-0 and dealt the Gulls just their second loss of the season (14-2-2). Sophomore
Vincent Crivello racked up a goal and an assist for NC while senior goaltender
Colin Brennan turned aside 28 shots to move to 7-3-2 on the season.
The Bison struck for four goals in the opening 12:17 of the contest to build a commanding 4-0 lead. Menta opened the scoring at 7:42 when he took a pass from Baker in the right circle and wristed a shot through the legs of EC sophomore netminder Justin Ketola.
Just over one minute later, Baker potted his 10th of the season to double the NC lead. He took a pass from Menta in the left circle and wristed a shot while falling down over the right shoulder of Ketola. A pair of power-play goals from Crivello and Cuthrell 31 seconds apart pushed the lead to 4-0. Crivello redirected a slap pass from Menta at the point at 11:56 before Cuthrell's backhander found twine at 12:17.
In the second, sophomore
Nicholas Mangone extended the Nichols lead to 5-0 as he banged a rebound past Ketola at 11:55. Sophomore
Hogan Davidson and Baker picked up assists on Mangone's third goal of the campaign.
Endicott sophomore Jack Kilty broke up the shutout with his seventh goal of the season at 4:07 of the third period. The Bison responded with their third power-play marker of the evening when Baker's shot from the left circle was redirected into the net by EC junior forward Thomas Daniels. Cuthrell and Menta picked up their third assist of the evening on Baker's 11th goal of the season at 8:47.
Ketola surrendered five goals on 32 shots as he suffered his first loss of the season (6-1-2). The Gulls went 1-for-5 with the man advantage.
All-Time Series
This evening's contest marked the fifth all-time meeting between Endicott College and Nichols College. The Bison now lead the series, 3-2-0.
