SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (1/25/2025) – The Nichols College men's hockey team saw seven different players score as the Bison cruised to a 7-1 Conference of New England (CNE) win against Western New England on Saturday night from Olympia Ice Center. The Bison sweep a conference weekend for the first time since the 2022-23 weekend.

Senior Josh Dickson, juniors Rocco Bianculli, Aaron Hamel, Jack Lee, and sophomores Aidan Flynn, Tristan Kimmen, and Zach Vandale all scored goals for the Bison in the win. Sophomore CJ Zezima added two assists, while senior Luke Harvie and teammate Gabe Temple, graduate student Joey Allegrini also added assists. Flynn and Hamel also posted a two-point night with assists.

Bianculli opened the scoring for the Bison after blocking a dump in, he raced off behind the defense for a breakaway and beat the net minder for a 1-0 Bison lead. The Bison added their second goal of the period after a missed shot from Allegrini and then a failed clear from the Golden Bears defense and Harvie found Flynn with a centering pass who ripped a wrist shot past the goalie for a 2-0 Nichols lead.

Nichols added one more goal before the end of the period, this one coming on the power-play. After controlling the power-play and passing the puck around Hamel walked and ripped a shot past the net minder for a 3-0 lead for the Bison, with the assists coming from Allegrini and Zezima.

The second period was no different then the first period for the Bison as they added two more power-play goals in the period. Lee scored the first goal of the period, off a face off win and Temple settled the bouncing puck and Lee ripped the loose puck past the goalie for a 4-0 lead.

The fifth goal was the first goal of the season for Kimmen, who rifled a shot from the circle past the netminder after playing pass with Hamel and Zezima. Nichols added their sixth goal in the third period, when Flynn forced a turnover and found Vandale right in front, who back handed a shot past a sprawling netminder.

The Golden Bears snapped the Bison scoring streak and ended sophomore Nick Anderson's shut out bid. Dickson jumped in on the scoring with 1:15 on clock, as he cashed in on the breakaway after blocking a shot.

Anderson stopped 24 shots to earn his sixth win of the season. The Bison penalty kill was 4-4 and the power-play was 3-5 in the win.

Nichols (8-8-2, 4-5-2 CNE) will hit the road and travel to Biddeford, Maine on Friday, January 31^st to face off against UNE. Puck drop from Harold Alfond Forum is set for 7:00 p.m.