(Courtesy of Johnson & Wales Sports Information)
NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The 15th-ranked Wentworth Institute of Technology hockey team used three third-period goals to erase a 3-2 deficit and defeat Johnson & Wales, 5-3, in an ECAC Northeast contest Wednesday evening.
After battling through the majority of the first period in a scoreless tie, Wentworth got on the board when senior Jeff Olitch (Calgary, Alberta) scored at the 14:01 mark to give the Leopards the 1-0 lead. Johnson & Wales responded with a pair of goals late in the stanza as junior Joe Simeone (Cranston, R.I.) scored at the 16:28 mark while sophomore Jeremiah Ketts (Foristell, Mo.) put the squad up 2-1 with 2:32 left in the first period.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 3-1 just 2:12 into the second stanza when senior Kevin Marchesi (South Portland, Maine) put in a pass from freshman Jason Pietrasiak (Shrewsbury, Mass.). Wentworth responded at the 6:04 mark on a goal by junior Kyle Richardson (San Jose, Calif.) to cut the lead to 3-2. JWU held the one goal lead heading into the locker room after two periods of play.
In the third period, the visiting Leopards recorded three goals, including a pair from freshman Anthony Principato (Holmdel, N.J.) en route to the 5-3 victory. Principato tied the game on a power play goal just 2:27 into the period and then scored what would prove to be the game-winner at the 14:19 mark. The Leopards added an empty netter late in the period for the two goal win.
Freshman Matt Cooper (Perrysburg, Ohio) recorded 23 saves in the setback for Johnson & Wales while senior Justin Marriot (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) made 35 stops for Wentworth in the victory.
With the loss Johnson & Wales falls to 7-13 for the season and 4-5 in the ECAC Northeast while Wentworth improves to 16-2-1, 8-1-0 in league play. Wentworth hosts Nichols on Sunday at 3:30 p.m., while the Wildcats will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Salve Regina for an ECAC Northeast contest, starting at 7:15 p.m.
