HARRISVILLE, R.I. – The Nichols men's ice hockey team dropped a 5-3 decision in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play to Western New England on Saturday night at Levy Rink.
 
Western New England opened the scoring when Matt Dougherty lit the lamp 11:12 into the first period.
 
The Bison struck for two consecutive goals over a 6:28 span in the middle of the second period. Josh Dickson tied the game at 1-1 when the sophomore fired in a wrister from the top of the slot on a turnaround feed from Quinn McCarthy. McCarthy followed up his assist with a goal of his own on the powerplay when the junior picked up the puck in the right faceoff circle and blew a wrister past Colten Lancaster to give Nichols its first lead of the game with 5:12 remaining in the second.
 
The lead didn't last long, however, as Kyle Knight scored for the Golden Bears just 2:30 later to tie the game back up.
 
Dylan McMahon picked up a loose puck right in front of Lancaster's cage on a loose puck shot towards net by Joey Allegrini and tucked it in on the powerplay to retake a 3-2 lead with 11:05 to play.
 
Western New England would go on to score three unanswered goals, beginning with John D'Aniello's goal at 11:42, over the final 8:18 to put the Bison away, 5-3, earning their second- straight win over Nichols and their third CCC victory of the season.
 
Mathias Backstrom made 20 saves in the setback.
 
Nichols will wrap up the calendar year next Friday, December 9 in a road contest at Curry in CCC play. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. from the Canton Ice House.