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Senior forward Matt Smethurst scored the game-winning goal with less than two minutes remaining in Thursday night's 4-3 win at Johnson & Wales. (Photo by Chris Marion)
Senior forward Matt Smethurst scored the game-winning goal with less than two minutes remaining in Thursday night's 4-3 win at Johnson & Wales. (Photo by Chris Marion)

Western New England Rallies Late to Earn 4-3 Win at Johnson & Wales

Smethurst nets game-winner with 1:51 remaining in regulation

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (January 18, 2018) –
The Western New England University ice hockey team scored two goals over the final four minutes of regulation to earn a 4-3 victory over Johnson & Wales University on Thursday evening in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Lynch Arena. 

Top Performers
• Senior captain Matt Smethurst (Rexford, N.Y.) scored the game-winning goal for the Golden Bears with just under two minutes remaining in the third period. Smethurst also went 13-for-22 in the faceoff circle.
• Juniors Carlos Ross (Brockport, N.Y.), David Kleyman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Matt O'Dea (Orland Park, Ill.) all found the back of the net for Western New England.
• Junior goaltender Kevin Gollmer (Flourtown, Pa.) made 31 saves on 34 shots.

• Junior forward Victor Carlsson (Calmar, Sweden) led the Wildcats with two goals, while freshman Graham Day (Rochester, Mich.) recorded a goal and an assist.

Game Review
With the score tied at 2-2 heading into the third period, Johnson & Wales pulled ahead on Carlsson's power play tally 5:13 into the frame. The Wildcats held their 3-2 advantage until O'Dea buried the equalizer on a feed from junior Edmond Rogers (Creve Coeur, Mo.) at the 16:02 mark. Just over two minutes later, freshman defenseman Nolan Zweep (Abbotsford, B.C.) set up Smethurst for the game-winning goal as the Golden Bears completed the late comeback. 

Ross staked Western New England to a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, but Carlsson knotted the score with 2:01 remaining. Johnson & Wales then pulled ahead on Day's goal 8:04 into the second period, before Kleyman tied the contest for the second time with a power play strike at the 10:48 mark. The score remained tied heading into the second intermission.

Notes
• Johnson & Wales outshot Western New England 34-25 and held a 56-34 advantage in the faceoff circle.
• Since returning to the lineup, Kleyman has recorded three points in four games.
• The Golden Bears successfully killed off seven of the Wildcats' eight power play opportunities. 

Up Next
Western New England (7-9-2, 2-8-1 CCC) and Johnson & Wales (5-13, 3-8 CCC) will be back in action on Saturday at the Olympia Ice Center, with opening faceoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m.