The Suffolk University Hockey team topped the Johnson & Wales University Wildcats, 5-4 on Saturday evening in their first ECAC Northeast conference game of the season.

Freshman Mike Cherpak (Enfield, Conn.) broke a 4-4 with less than six minutes remaining for the game winner as the Rams now improve to a 3-0 record to start the 2012-13 campaign.

Cherpak's goal was his second of the season, as he connected on his first game winning goal taking feeds from sophomore Scott Mathieu (Raynham, Mass.) and junior  Jon Stauffer (Landsdale, Pa.).

Suffolk jumped out to an early 2-0 edge after one period of play. In the fourteenth minute of the game freshman David Lazaro (Canton, Mass.) broke open the scoring as he scored his first of two goals on the night with assists from senior Steve Drago (Waltham, Mass.) and junior Charlie McGinnis (Hanover, Mass.). With just six seconds remaining in the first period the Rams would build their lead as they converted on a power play. Sophomore Tim Sprague (Plymouth, Mass.) knocked in the goal as the Rams held the extra man advantage as McGinnis picked up his second assist of the period along with junior Wes Bonnell (Flenton, Del.).

The Wildcats would even things up in the second period as Danny Kaufmann tallied a power-play goal at 8:35. Kaufman would add an assist on the second Wildcats goal nearly two minutes later as he set up Daniel Chang to make it a 2-2 game.

With less than three minutes remaining in the second period, the Rams would once again score a special teams goal, this time on the shorthanded side as Lazaro netted his second tally of the contest taking a pass from sophomore Andrew Ball (Brick, N.J.) to put the Rams back up on top.

The Rams would make it a two goal lead again in third period as Bonnell scored 1:47 into the final period on his second goal of the year.

The Wildcats would not go quietly however as they scored consecutive power-play goals in a three minute span to even the game at 4-4. Jason Pietrasiak scored at the 3:19 mark with his first goal of the year. Kaufmann netted his second power-play goal of the evening at the six minute mark to make a 4-4 game.

Kaufmann finished the evening with two goals and two assists as he had a hand in all four Wildcats goals on the night.

Sophomore Brett Roman (Rock Tavern, N.Y.) made 32 saves for his third victory between the pipes on the year for the Rams.

Drago finished the game with a +3, while Stauffer, McGinnis and Mathieu each recorded two assists on the night.

The Wildcats posted a slight edge in shots in the game at 36-33 and were 3-for-11 on the power-play. Suffolk played the final 2:43 of regulation shorthanded as the Rams were flagged for two penalties late.

Suffolk will be back in action on Tuesday evening as they travel to Salve Regina University for a 7:00pm ECAC Northeast contest.