Four Golden Bears Score, Aureliano Makes 41 Saves in 4-3 Win over Johnson and Wales

WESTFIELD, Mass. (October 29, 2022) – The Western New England men's ice hockey team came away with a victory on Saturday evening in the consolation game of the Western Massachusetts Invitational, defeating the Wildcats of Johnson and Wales University by a final score of 4-3. Four different goal scorers would propel WNE to the victory. 

Records:

• Western New England: 1-1
• Johnson and Wales University: 0-2

How it Happened:
WNE came away with the first goal of the game after Finn Bambery and Kyle Knight would tag team the assists on Cam Gaylor's first career goal with Western New England to give the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead. WNE would score the only goal in the opening frame, while both teams came away with nine shots in the first 20 minutes of play. 

The second period intensified in scrappiness, though the Golden Bears would take their first two goal lead of the season after Colby Audette would rip a wicked wrist shot past Wildcats goalkeeper Jacob Perrin and into the back of the net to get his second goal of the season and second goal of the game for WNE. Billy Hefferle and Jason Diamond would pick up assists for WNE with the goal coming just 2:31 into the period. Johnson and Wales who storm back, picking up two goals in just over three and a half minutes in the second period to even the score at two. Brendan Doyle would find a loose rebound behind Western New England starting goalkeeper, Anthony Aureliano and would poke the puck into the net to get the Wildcats on the board. Brandon Shandley and Ryo Namiki would pick up assists on the goal. Doyle would come right back and score on his very next shift on an assist from Noel Parker to even the score at two for Johnson and Wales. With under a minute to play in the second period, Western New England found late life, as Kyle Knight would take a saucer pass from Shane Miller and shoot just under the crossbar and into the net to give the Golden Bears a 3-2 lead entering the final 20 minutes of play. 

Western New England's Shane Miller picked up his second assist of the game after John D'Aniello found open space in the middle of the ice and would shoot the puck into the back of the net to give Western New England their second two goal lead of the game. WNE would control the pace of play through the midway point of the third period until WNE was assessed with a penalty and JWU would capitalize on the chance. Connor Blanchard would feed Brendan Doyle who then saw Brent Rickett open on the back post and slotted the puck into the net to get the Wildcats within one goal again. Western New England would hold the puck possession for the majority of the final two minutes of play, not allowing the Wildcats to gain possession in an attempt to score. Western New England would successfully kill the clock and come away with a 4-3 win over the Wildcats, finishing in third place of the Western Mass. Invitational.

Inside the Crease:

• Johnson and Wales took 24 shots on goal in the second period and 44 total shots during the game with Anthony Aureliano making 41 saves to lead WNE to a victory. 
• WNE capitalized on two powerplay chances on five attempts while JWU came away with one PP goal on six attempts. 
• WNE won 44 of 70 faceoffs in the contest with Demitrios Stefanou winning 20 of 29 draws. 
• Brendan Doyle scored twice and picked up an assist for JWU in the loss. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE begins CCC play by traveling to the University of New England on Friday, November 4 at 7:00 pm. 
• JWU hosts Norwich University on the same date.