BOSTON – The Suffolk men's hockey team collected its first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) victory Saturday night as the Rams defeated Wentworth, 2-1, inside Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2, Wentworth 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-2-1, 1-2-1 CCC) | Wentworth (1-5-0, 1-3-0 CCC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Through the first 20 minutes the teams traded goals to head into the second period tied at 1-1. Suffolk took a 2-1 edge with 13 minutes to play in the second stanza as Connor Henry found the back of the netting for the first time this season. After Henry's go-ahead goal, the Rams managed to kill off two penalties to hold onto a 2-1 cushion heading into the final frame.
Behind Michael Levine's 14-save third period effort, Suffolk held off a comeback attempt from Wentworth even with the Leopards pulling Ryan Hubbard from between the pipes for the final 1:38 of play, to secure the 2-1 triumph.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Wentworth held the upper hand in shots, 39-25.
- The Leopards also grabbed a slim edge in faceoffs, 42-39.
GOALS
- With Luke Miller in the box for high sticking, Wentworth earned the first power play advantage of the evening and took advantage. In a cluster in front Levine the Leopards peppered the Suffolk goaltender and Ethan Weiss put one away to make it a 1-0 game in favor of the visitors at 11:42. Dakoda Menslag and Jake McDonough were credited with the assists on Weiss' second score of the season.
- The Rams responded at the 18:00 minute mark. Justin Holliday was set up by Tommy Bishop and Connor Parent to equalize the game with just two minutes before the first intermission.
- From the right circle, Parent found Henry in front of Wentworth's Ryan Hubbard and put the puck away stick side to make it a 2-1 Suffolk game. Parent notched his second assist of the day on Henry's first goal of the season, while Miller etched his name on the scoresheet also assisting on the go-ahead goal.
KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS
- Levine tallied his second mark in the win column this season with a 38-save performance, which matches the sophomore's career-best set on opening night of the 2016-17 season.
- Hubbard slipped to 1-4-0 in net for the Leopards despite a 23-save day.
NOTEABLES
- Henry's first goal of the season marked another first for the sophomore forward as he recorded his first game-winning goal.
- Suffolk earned it's sixth-ever win over Wentworth since 1999-2000.
UP NEXT
Suffolk hits the road for the third time this season as the Rams travel to Curry Thursday, Nov. 12. Puck drop in the conference contest is set for 6: 45 p.m.