BOSTON, Mass. – Senior forward Jeff Olitch's (Calgary, Alberta) second power play goal of the game, coming with 1:42 remaining in regulation snapped a 1-all tie and lifted the Wentworth hockey team to a 3-1 win over Western New England in an ECAC Northeast contest played at Matthews Arena.
The visiting Golden Bears would break the ice first when sophomore forward Kory Grahl (San Diego, Calif.) broke in alone at the 6:48 mark and beat Leopard freshman netminder Michael Jarboe (Grosse Point Park, Mich.) to the right side. Grahl was set up on the goal by freshman forward Nico Santaniello (East Longmeadow, Mass.) and junior forward Chris Beaudoin (Enfield, Conn.). Despite holding a 1-0 lead, the Golden Bears were outshot, 18-5.
In the early stages of the second period, Wentworth had a golden opportunity to tie the game when junior forward Geric Brodt (Anchorage, Alaska) broke in alone after a shorthanded situation, but freshman T.J. Fatse (Hampden, Mass.) stoned him on the breakaway. About seven minutes into the period, Western New England had a chance to go ahead, 2-0, but Jarboe stopped Beaudoin on an odd-man rush. Wentworth tied the game at the 18:18 mark of the period when Olitch was set up by freshman defenseman Shaun Jameson (Long Beach, Calif.) and poked a shot past Fatse.
The game remained knotted at 1-all until sophomore forward Skylur Jameson (Long Beach, Calif.) fed Olitch, who was staked out in front of the Golden Bears' net, and put Wentworth ahead. That goal was Olitch's 64th career marker, moving him into fourth place on Wentworth's all-time goal list and his 118th point, which pushed him into sixth place all-time.
With 1:12 left in the contest, Fatse was pulled for an extra attacker and the Golden Bears had possession in the Leopard zone. However, junior defenseman Kyle Richardson (San Jose, Calif.) gained control of a loose puck and fed it to sophomore forward Casey Shade (Anchorage, Alaska), who would find Skylur Jameson. Jameson would fire a shot from just outside the blue line into an empty net to ice the game.
Jarboe made 11 saves for the Leopards and improved to 6-0 on the season. Fatse turned aside 39 shots in a losing effort. Wentworth held a 42-12 shot advantage.
The win, Wentworth's third in a row, improves the Leopards' record to 15-2-1 overall and 7-1 in ECAC Northeast play. Western New England dropped its eighth straight to stand at 1-15-1 (1-7). Wentworth is at Johnson & Wales on Wednesday, while the Golden Bears host Assumption Tuesday.
