D’Aniello Scores Game Winning Goal in 3-2 Win over #14 Curry College

MILTON, Mass. (November 19, 2022) – The Western New England men's ice hockey team stuns 14^th ranked Colonels of Curry College from the Canton Ice House on Saturday afternoon after Curry took the lead early in the third period, WNE would fight back for a tying and game winning goal to knock off Curry 3-2, picking up their first CCC win of the season. 

Records:

• Western New England: 2-6, 1-5 CCC
• #14 Curry College: 5-2, 4-2 CCC

How it Happened:
No scoring would be had by either team in the opening 20 minutes of the game after the Colonels would take the majority of the shots, coming away with 12 to WNE's six. Colten Lancaster would stand strong in the period, collecting all 12 saves for the Golden Bears. 

Western New England would break the zeros from the scoreboard in the second period with just five minutes to play in the period as Shane Miller collected his first goal of the season on assists from Dalton Garcia and Jason Diamond, giving the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead. Miller would find the pass from Garcia and ripped the puck into the back of the net to give the Golden Bears the advantage. Shots would again favor Curry in the second period as the Colonels took seven shots to Western New England's three. The Golden Bears would look to hold on in the third period to secure their first CCC win of the season. 

Western New England would see the 14^th ranked Division III team in the country roar back on their home ice and would quickly score the game tying goal in the early goings of the third period when Eelis Laaksonen would find twine on assists from Gage Dill and Nick Farvaro to get the Colones even with the Golden Bears. #14 Curry needed just 1:49 later to grab a lead when Billy Roche beat Colten Lancaster stick side on assists from Timmy Kent and Eelis Laaksonen to put Curry ahead 2-1. Western New England would battle all afternoon long. The Golden Bears would grab a power play at the midway point of the third period when Ben Biester was whistled for a cross check for the Colonels, giving WNE a man advantage. The Golden Bears would cash in on their power play chance when Colby Audette slung a pass to Shane Miller who found Billy Hefferle at the tops of the circle, who ripped a shot past Curry GK Reid Cooper, tying the game for the Golden Bears. Matt Dougherty would break up a chance down Western New England's defensive boards, which sprung Kyle Knight and John D'Aniello on a two on one break for the Golden Bears. A saucer pass from D'Aniello to Knight and a follow up shot by Knight would be handled by Curry's GK, though a rebound chance from D'Aniello would be cashed in as the WNE centerman would take a shot while falling down which wound up in the back of the cage to give WNE a 3-2 lead, their second lead on the game. 

From there, Curry would attempt 17 shots towards goal, a handful of those shots sailing wide, a handful being blocked, and the majority being saved by Western New England keeper Colten Lancaster, keeping Curry off the board. Curry took 19 shots in the third period while Lancaster made 17 saves, preserving the victory for the Golden Bears, who pick up their first win in CCC play of the season. 

Around the Scoreboard:

• Western New England took 19 shots on the day, beating Reid Cooper three times. WNE came away with ten shots in the third period, a period high. 
• Curry took 38 total shots, 36 which were taken in and covered by GK Colten Lancaster, who picks up his first win of 2022.
• Shane Miller collected a goal and an assist from the Golden Bears while John D'Aniello scored the game winner for the blue and gold. 
• WNE went 1/4 on the powerplay while Curry failed to score on their four chances. 
• Of the 81 faceoffs in the game, Curry collected 53 wins. 
• WNE beats Curry for the first time since January 31, 2015. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Western New England heads to Post University for a rare 2:00 pm puck drop on Tuesday, November 22. 
• The Colonels battle Salve Regina University on December 3 at 3:00 pm from the Canton Ice House.