HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Suffolk men's hockey dropped a 2-1 overtime Commonwealth Coast Conference decision to Nichols Saturday at Levy Rink.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1 | Nichols 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (6-13-2, 4-12-1 CCC) | Nichols (8-13-0, 4-13-0) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite five combined power play opportunities for both teams, the Rams and Bison skated to a scoreless first frame.  

With an offensive zone face-off on the penalty kill to the left of Nichols' netminder, Mathias Backstrom, Griffin Clark secured the draw, slid the puck cross-crease to Peter Nugent, who tucked it into the cage. The shorthanded goal gave Suffolk a 1-0 lead with 11:12 remaining in the middle period.  

Nearly nine minutes later, Quinn McCarthy entered the Rams' zone with a burst of speed on a delayed penalty and executed a give-and-go with Owen Gonter, who fed him far side for the tip-in goal to tie things up with 2:34 remaining in the second.  

Both goalies turned aside the six shots they faced over the final 20 minutes of regulation to force the extra session. 

Suffolk had the upper hand as Nichols took a penalty, which allowed the Rams to skate 4-on-3 in the overtime. Despite the man-up for the blue-and-gold, Gonter tucked a goal past Jarret Bovarnick with just eight seconds left in OT to push the Bison to victory.  

NETMINDER NOTES

• Bovarnick registered 20 saves in the overtime setback. 
• Backstrom had 43 saves in the victory. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Nugent potted the only goal for the Rams. 
• Clark contributed the only assist for Suffolk. 
• Suffolk outshot the Bison, 44-22. 
• The Rams won the face-off battle, 32-29.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk moved to 29-24-4 all-time against Nichols. 
• The Rams are now 13-4-3 on the road versus the Bison. 
• The blue-and-gold and Bison went into overtime for the seventh time, first since Nov. 4, 2017. That game Nichols won, 3-2.
• Nichols defeated Suffolk in overtime for the first time in the all-time series. 
• Suffolk is now 2-1-4 in OT outings versus Nichols. 
• Suffolk skated in overtime for the fifth time this year. 
• The Rams are 2-1-2 in OT games in 2022-23.
• Suffolk moved to 1-2-0 versus Nichols in the Shawn McEachern era. 
• Nugent scored his fifth goal of the season. 

POST-GAME PIC
  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk takes its talents to Salve Regina Friday, Feb. 10 for a 7 p.m. CCC clash. A day later, Saturday, Feb. 11. the Rams will welcome No. 4 Endicott to Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink for a 6:50 p.m. outing.