North Smithfield, R.I. – The Johnson & Wales University
hockey team scored three unanswered goals late in the third period
to post a thrilling 5-4 victory over Suffolk in an ECAC Northeast
contest at the Rhode Island Sports Center on Saturday evening.
The two teams battled through a scoreless first period before
Johnson & Wales junior Craig Houle (Burrillville, R.I.) tallied
a power play goal with assists to senior Stephen Pfeiffer (Queens,
N.Y.) and sophomore Tony Galante (Buffalo, N.Y.) to put the
Wildcats up 1-0 with just :45 remaining in the period. JWU would
take the 1-0 lead into the locker room at intermission.
JWU extended their lead to 2-0 at the 17:10 mark of the second
period on a goal from sophomore Domenic Recchia (Sterling Heights,
Mich.), putting in a pass from senior Kevin Marchesi (South
Portland, Maine) and Houle. Suffolk cut into the lead late in the
period when freshman Andrew Flynn (Stamford,
Conn.) connected on a pass from junior Paul
Weisser (Longmeadow, Mass.) to make the score 2-1 with
just over a minute left in the stanza. The Wildcats took the one
goal lead into the locker room
Suffolk knotted the game early in the third period when senior
Pat Welch (Dorchester, Mass.) tallied a power play
goal just :42 in, knotting the game at 2-2. The visiting Rams then
took the 3-2 lead on another power play goal from senior
Niles Moore (Columbus, Ohio) with an assist to
Welch at the 1:47 mark. Suffolk then went up 4-2 on Flynn’s
second goal of the game just 5:30 into the period. Johnson &
Wales responded at the 10:22 mark when Recchia notched his second
goal of the game, converting on passes from Houle and sophomore
Jeremiah Ketts (Foristell, Mo.). The Wildcats knotted the game at
4-4 at the 13:18 mark when Houle struck again, putting in a pass
from Ketts and freshman Adam Bolotin (Vernon Hills, Ill.). The two
teams then traded scoring chances before JWU freshman Jason
Pietrasiak (Shrewsbury, Mass.) scored with 1:38 remaining to propel
the Wildcats to the 5-4 victory.
Junior Jeff Rose (Collinsville, Conn.) made 30
saves for Suffolk while junior JR Woodland (Picton, Ontario) made
31 saves for Johnson & Wales in the victory.
With the win Johnson & Wales improves to 1-4 for the season and
1-1 in the ECAC Northeast while Suffolk falls to 1-4-1 overall, 1-1
in league play. The Wildcats will return to action on Wednesday,
December 2nd when they host Salve Regina for an ECAC Northeast
contest, starting at 6:30 p.m.
(Story courtesy of Johnson & Wales Sports Information)