Men’s Hockey Sends Seniors Off Saturday vs. JWU

Men’s Hockey Sends Seniors Off Saturday vs. JWU

Game Info
Date
Time 

Venue

Series
Stats
Program

Suffolk vs. Johnson & Wales
Saturday, Feb. 18
7:30 p.m.
Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Rink
Charlestown, Mass.
Trails, 22-3-2 
         L3
PDF 


BOSTON – The Suffolk men's hockey team will take the ice at Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Rink for the final time this season Saturday, Feb. 18 when the Rams welcome Johnson & Wales to Charlestown. Prior to the 7:30 p.m. puck drop, Suffolk will honor the playing careers of its six seniors. 

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SENIOR SALUTES
Prior to the first faceoff, Suffolk will honor the playing careers of its six graduating players; Connor Lawrence, Brett Lawson, Simon Leahy, Danyil Medvedev, Stanton Turner and Kevin Venturoso

The Class of 2017 has been main ingredients to some of the team's highlights over the past four seasons including back-to-back ECAC Northeast playoff appearances, helping the Rams record the most victories (13) in a single season since 2007-08 as juniors and were instrumental to an eight-game unbeaten streak in 2014-15, which led to votes in the USCHO Coaches' Poll for just the second time in program history. Their careers are capped off in historic fashion, skating in the inaugural Commonwealth Coast Conference's men's hockey division with a chance to compete in the CCC playoffs. 

Over the course of their careers, these graduates have combined for more than 75 goals and 170 points in 40 victories. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Suffolk men's hockey team fell in a four-goal deficit early and could not climb out as Nichols cruised past the Rams, 9-2, Wednesday night at Levy Rink.    

MORE READING: Nichols Rolls Past Men's Hockey

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
With 10 points thanks to a 4-10-2 league ledger and a 7-12-4 overall mark, Suffolk is currently in the playoff picture in the eighth and final spot. With two games left on the Rams slate – against Johnson & Wales and at Endicott Monday, Feb. 20 – the blue-and-gold look to hold onto their playoff position. 

Suffolk's offense has been firing on all cylinders as of late, scoring nine goals in the last four games. Over the flurry of four games, 16 different Rams recorded a point led by Connor Henry's four on two scores and two assists. Brian Brooks and Connor Parent are second with three point apiece with the former's coming of two scores and one setup and the latter raking up three strikes. 

Overall, Suffolk's 2.30 goals per outing is boosted by sophomores Tommy Bishop (5g, 11a) and Justin Holliday (5g, 5a). Senior Danyil Medvedev (4g, 6a) and sophomore Parent (6g, 4a) contribute 10 points apiece to the effort. 

In net, Kevin Venturoso was the backstop in the Rams' last two wins. The senior is 4-6-1 on the senior with a .904 save percentage and a 3.21 goals-against average. Sophomore Michael Levine has also seen significant time this year with a 3-6-3 mark thanks to a .894 save percentage and a 3.79 goals-against average. 

WILDCAT WAYS
Johnson & Wales sits sixth in the standings with 12 points on a 5-9-2 conference record and 9-11-3 overall mark. The Wildcats come to the Bay State after a 1-1 time at Slave Regina Wednesday night. 

JWU produces 3.09 goals per game with Fran Mackin's 12 markers leading the way. The senior forward is tied for second on the squad in points with classmate Ben Brouillard (6g, 14a), who each have 20 to their credit. Connor Bates leads the point charge with 21 off 10 scores and 11 assists. 

Joey Ballmer stands tall in between the pipes for the Wildcats. The senior goalie has started all 22 games in which he has appeared to hold down an 8-10-3 ledger with a .919 save percentage and 2.61 goals-against average. 

WE MEET AGAIN
In its 2017 debut, the Suffolk men's hockey team could not overcome a two-goal first period deficit as Johnson & Wales held off a Rams comeback to defeat the blue-and-gold, 4-2, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Jan. 19 at the Dunkin Donuts Center.   

MORE READING: JWU Holds Off Men's Hockey, 4-2

INSIDE THE SERIES
Saturday marks the 29th meeting between the Rams and Wildcats since 1999. Suffolk trails the all-time series, 22-3-2, with the last three meetings ending in JWU's favor. 

EYES ON THE GAME

HENRY COLLECTS CCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Connor Henry played a big role in the Suffolk men's hockey 4-3 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) win over the University of New England Saturday night en route to picking up CCC Player of the Week honors the league office announced Monday afternoon. 

MORE READING: Henry Collects CCC Player of the Week 

SHUTOUT
Kevin Venturoso turned aside 28 pucks Saturday night at Becker to record his first collegiate shutout. He is the first Suffolk netminder to tally a cleansheet since Michael Levine blanked Becker Feb. 13, 2016. Just three games later the senior did it again with a 23-save effort against Wentworth. 

SERIES SWEEP
For the first time since 2009, Suffolk swept the regular-season series versus Wentworth. The Rams took the first meeting versus the Leopards, 2-1, Nov. 12, and shutout WIT 1-0 Feb. 2. 

CLEANSHEETS
For the first time since 2007-08, Suffolk has two shutout victories as the Rams blanked Becker, 3-0, Jan. 21, and recorded a 1-0 victory over Wentworth Feb. 2. 

ONE-GOAL GAMES
Suffolk landed on the right side of a one-goal game thanks to Luke Miller's first period marker versus Wentworth Feb. 2. The 1-0 victory over the Leopards marks the first time that the Rams won a 1-0 game since downing Becker 1-0 Feb. 13, 2016. 

HATS OFF
In his Suffolk debut Jackson Tucker registered a hat trick showing, scoring all three of Suffolk's goals in the 3-0 win at Becker. Tucker, the first Ram to pot three pucks in one game since Stanton Turner did so in a 7-2 win over the Hawks Nov. 11, 2014, grabbed CCC Player of the Week accolades for his three-goal game performance. 

MORE READING: Tucker Grabs CCC Player of the Week 

FROZEN FENWAY
Thursday, Jan. 5 will go inside Suffolk men's hockey record books as the Rams took the ice at legendary Fenway Park apart of the Capital One Frozen Fenway 2017

MORE READING: Men's Hockey Holds Intersquad Scrimmage at Frozen Fenway

SHORT-HANDED
Luke Miller's first goal of the season came in short-handed fashion at Western New England Nov. 10. The junior forward is the first Ram to net a man-down score since Justin Selep '16 put one away in a 5-2 win at Nichols Jan. 16, 2016. 

CCC FROZEN FIRST
Simon Leahy
's first goal of the season turned out to be a historic one as the senior from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was the first player across the CCC to find the back of the netting on the inaugural night of play for the first-year league. Since the tally was on the power play, he added to the historics, as the forward also became the first CCC skater to put one away on the man advantage opportunity. 

CCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tommy Bishop
of the Suffolk men's hockey team will go down in history as the first-ever Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player of the Week as the sophomore grabbed the initial award of the inaugural season after a career opening night, the conference office announced Oct. 31.

MORE READING: Bishop Grabs First-Ever CCC Player of the Week Nod

UP NEXT
Suffolk concludes its regular season action at No. 8/10 Endicott on President's Day. Game time Monday, Feb. 20 is scheduled for 2:50 p.m.