Posted: Nov 19, 2014
Senior Chris Gularte (Salinas, Calif.) scored his first goal of the season in Nichols College's 1-1 tie with Suffolk University Wednesday night in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast action at Levy Rink.
Junior Sean Fleming (Easthampton, N.J.) and freshman Scott Cuthrell (Waterford, Mich.) were credited with assists on Gularte's ninth collegiate goal for the Bison (5-0-1, 3-0-1 ECAC Northeast), who moved to 15-25-3 all-time against the Rams and 4-2-1 in the last seven meetings. Sophomore Justin Selep (Pittsburgh, Pa.) potted his third of the season for Suffolk (4-0-1, 3-0-1 ECAC Northeast).
Selep's marker at 13:07 of the first came off a Nichols turnovers in its own end. Selep collected the puck and wristed it through the legs of Larson in the slot to give the Rams a 1-0 lead.
The Bison nearly tied the game in the second when a nifty feed from Fleming from the neutral zone found its way through the Suffolk defense and onto the stick of junior Paul Prescott (Oakdale, Minn.), who broke in alone on junior goalie Brandon Smolarek (Chesterfield, Mich.). With a defenseman on his heels, Prescott pulled the puck to his backhand and tried to slide it through the legs of Smolarek, but the shot was turned aside with his left pad.
Nichols evened the score at one midway through the third with its seventh power-play goal of the season. Fleming and Gularte played catch before Gularte's shot from straight away at the blue line found its way through a screen and past Smolarek. The Bison had the best scoring chance of either side in overtime when Beasley beat Smolarek to a loose puck inside the blue line and looked to put it into an empty net. He dangled around a sliding defenseman before eventually having the puck pushed into the corner.
The Bison outshot the Rams 34-28 and finished the night 1-for-5 with the extra skater. Smolarek turned aside 33 shots while junior and reigning ECAC Northeast Goalie of the Week Alex Larson (Madison, Ala.) made 27 saves.
Nichols hosts Johnson & Wales (RI) Saturday at 7:40 p.m. The Rams entertain Becker Saturday at 7:10 p.m.
(Story courtest of Nichols College Sports Information)