Golden Bears Battle with Nichols College, Fall 5-4 on Hockey Fights Cancer Night

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 30, 2022) – The Western New England men's ice hockey team came back from two, two goal deficits but ending up falling to the Nichols College Bison 5-4 on Sunday night from the Olympia Ice Center on Hockey Fights Cancer Night. 

Records:

• Western New England: 4-11-2 (2-10-1 CCC) 
• Nichols College: 4-11-1 (3-11-0 CCC)

How it Happened:

The Bison started the game early with a goal, just 1:33 into the first period. Austan Bellefeulle found a small opening through the blocker and pad for Colten Lancaster, the Golden Bears started goaltender and found the back of the net to give Nichols the early 1-0 lead. Nathan Carl would pick up a point on the play for Nichols. Just four minutes later, Nichols would score again as Noah Poindexter would tally the second of the night for the Bison to give them the 2-0 lead. Justin Perron and Conor Leonard would tally assists for Nichols, on their way to a two-goal lead. The Golden Bears would fight back in the first period as Lliam Christiano would opening the scoring for Western New England after he was falling to the ice, he was still able to chip a backhand up and over the sprawling goalkeeper Tyler Bost, giving WNE a goal to trail by just one. Jordie Morgan and Sam Mitchell would grab assists on the 6^th of the year from Christiano. WNE would see Nichols two goal lead disappear at the 14:52 mark of the period when Billy Hefferle broke the deficit for WNE to tie the game. Hefferle would take a stretch pass from Connor Geshan and take a slapshot from just outside the circles and the puck would go right through the five hole of Bost and into the net to tie the score. Geshan and Sam Mitchell would get assists on the second of the season for Hefferle. Late in the second period, Nichols would tally back to take the 3-2 lead heading into the break. Gabe Temple found twine on an assist from Petr Miko to give Nichols their third goal of the night. After one period, Nichols took 15 shots, while WNE came through with 13. 

In the second period, Nichols would regain their two-goal lead as at the 10:14 mark, Nathan Carl would collect his second point of the night on an assist from Kaiden Scott to go up 4-2 in favor of the Bison. WNE, as they did earlier in the night, would break down Nichols defense and would come back from the two goal deficit for a second time. Nolan Zweep would take a pass from Jacob Ondrejko, cut to the middle of the ice and roof a snap shot past Bost to give WNE the 4-3 disadvantage. Nichols College would make a change in goaltenders, as Lutz Korbinian would secure the pipes for the rest of the night for Nichols. The momentum would stay in the Golden Bears favor as Ondrejko would score his first career goal in a Golden Bears uniform to again tie the game. Marko Bohatiuk would take a breakaway pass from Ondrejko, step into the offensive zone and send a backwards pass from Ondrejko, who sent a perfect shot past the post to give WNE their fourth goal. Geshan would pick up his second assist in the game on the play, as well. WNE would lead 10-7 in shots in the period. 

Nichols College would be the only team on the night to capitalize on the powerplay, as their fifth goal of the night came on the PP chance when Lucas Andersson picked up a loose puck on the side of the goal and buried his first of the season to give Nichols the 5-4 lead. Western New England would tirelessly battle down the stretch, earning a powerplay with under six minutes to play, though failing to capitalize on the chance. WNE would go 0-5 on the powerplay on the night and fall to the Bison by a final score of 5-4. 

Inside the Crease:

• Jacob Ondrejko collected his first career goal on the season for the Golden Bears while tallying an assist in the losing effort. Ondrejko and Connor Geshan (2 A) were the only Golden Bears to tally more than one point on the night. 
• Colten Lancaster made 29 saves on 34 shots faced for WNE. Tyler Bost, who was pulled by Nichols in the third period, saw nearly 33 mintes of action, making 16 saves on 19 shots for Nichols. Backup goaltender Korbinian Lutz made 13 saves on 14 shots faced in relief, picking up the win. 
• Western New England went 33-55 in the faceoff dot, while Lliam Christiano went 12-16, leading WNE. 
• WNE had a five-minute powerplay chance in the second period after Curtis Carlson was called for hitting from behind, though WNE would not be able to score on the five minute chance. 
• In total, Nichols took 34 shots on goal, while WNE took one less, ending the night with 33. 
• WNE hosted Hockey Fights Cancer Night, their first annual event tonight. The Golden Bears sported a pink jersey as commemorative. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Both the Golden Bears and Bison will meet tomorrow, Monday, January 31 at 1:00 pm from Levy Rink.