Western New England Drops Non-Conference Contest at Fredonia, 7-2

Hines and Smethurst score for Golden Bears

FREDONIA, N.Y. (January 13, 2017) – The Western New England University ice hockey team fell behind 3-0 in the first period and was unable to recover in an eventual 7-2, non-conference setback at SUNY Fredonia this evening at Steele Hall Ice Arena.

Top Performers
• Sophomore Tyler Hines (North Haven, Conn.) and junior Matt Smethurst (Rexford, N.Y.) each scored second period goals for the Golden Bears, while junior David DiSchiavi (Etobicoke, Ont.) and sophomores Stefan Koproske (Simsbury, Conn.), Edmund Rogers (Creve Coeur, Mo.) and Connor Graham (Norfolk, Mass.) were credited with assists.

• Junior center Samuel Wilbur (Saginaw, Mich.) led Fredonia with two goals and an assist.

Game Review
• After sophomore Luke Rivera (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) staked the Blue Devils to a 1-0 lead 6:48 into the contest, Fredonia capitalized on a power play opportunity at the 11:48 mark as Wilbur found the back of the net for the first of his two goals.
• Senior Mac McAvoy (Port Colborne, Ont.) made it 3-0 with an unassisted tally late in the period.
• Hines got the Golden Bears on the board just over four minutes into the second period with the help of Koproske and Dischiavi, but Fredonia restored its three-goal lead with eight minutes remaining in the frame.
• Rogers and Graham set Smethurst up for a power play goal as Western New England pulled back to within two (4-2) at the 16:17 mark.
• The Blue Devils answered with their fifth goal of the night less than two minutes later, however, before tacking on two more late in the third period.

Notes
• Fredonia outshot Western New England 76-37 and held a 64-28 advantage in the faceoff circle.
• Making his collegiate debut in net for the Golden Bears, freshman Kyle Carducci (Hartford, Conn.) recorded 34 saves in one period of action. Sophomore Kevin Gollmer (Flourtown, Pa.) came on in relief for the second and third periods, making 38 saves on 42 shots.
• Smethurst took a team-high four shots and won 11-of-25 faceoffs.

Up Next
With its non-conference schedule now complete, Western New England (5-8-2) resumes Commonwealth Coast Conference play next Wednesday at Salve Regina. Fredonia (5-7-2) continues its four-game homestand tomorrow against Johnson & Wales.