BOSTON, Mass. – Freshman Adam Frank (Clarkston, Mich.) scored a pair of goals as the Wentworth Institute of Technology ice hockey team earned its third straight trip to the ECAC Northeast championship game with a 4-1 win over Johnson & Wales in one semifinal game played at Matthews Arena. The Leopards will host fifth-seeded Salve Regina (10-13-3), a 3-2 upset winner over second-seeded Nichols in the championship game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Despite the Leopards outshooting the Wildcats by a 14-6 margin, the hosts could not find a way to get the puck past Johnson & Wales senior Matt Cooper (Perrysburg, Ohio).
At 8:29 of the second period Wentworth got on the board when Frank scored from sophomore Mike Domsodi (Kirkland, Que.) and senior Reed Rushing (Seattle, Wash.). The Leopards added to their lead nearly eight minutes later when senior Craig Cardone (Westford, Mass.) scored from classmate Joel Vastl (North Salem, N.H.) and sophomore Ben Iwanowski (Dorval, Que.).
Wentworth increased its lead to 3-0 at 8:41 of the third when Frank tallied his second of the game, off passes from Iwanowski and freshman Mike Cox (Marlborough, Mass.), before Johnson & Wales freshman Josh Obregon (Omaha, Neb.) scored off a rebound of a classmate Luke Nickles (Chicago, Ill.) shot to make it 3-1 at 13:14. Also assisting on the goal was freshman Daniel Chang (Woodland Hills, Calif.).
The Wildcats pulled Cooper with 1:14 left for an extra attacker and put a pair of shots on Wentworth freshman Joel Miller (Calgary, Alta.), however could not find the back of the net. Senior Shaun Jameson (Long Beach, Calif.) would tip a pass to Cox who scored on an empty net with 11 ticks left to seal the victory.
Miller made 23 saves on the night, while Cooper stopped 32 in his final collegiate appearance. Wentworth held a 36-24 shot advantage and successfully killed off the lone penalty called in the game.
The Leopards won their second straight and ran their unbeaten streak to seven (5-0-2), while improving to 15-8-3 on the year. Johnson & Wales ends its season at 10-16-1.
Wentworth will be seeking its second consecutive conference championship, and sixth since 2000. The Leopards will be making their ninth appearance in the title game, while the Seahawks will be making their first appearance in the conference championship. Wentworth swept the season series, winning, 4-3 (overtime), in Middletown, R.I., and closed out the regular season with a 5-2 win at Matthews Arena.
March 14, 2013
Shaun Jameson Named First Team All-America
March 6, 2013
Hockey Falls to Babson in NCAA Tournament
March 4, 2013
Hockey to Travel to Babson for NCAA Tournament
March 3, 2013
Hockey Wins Second Straight ECACNE Title
February 27, 2013
Hockey Marches Into ECAC Northeast Title Game, 4-1
February 23, 2013
Jameson Named ECAC Northeast Player of the Year; Five Others Honored
February 22, 2013
ECAC Northeast Tournament Pairings Announced
February 18, 2013
Miller Earns ECAC Northeast Weekly Honors
February 16, 2013
Hockey Clinches ECACNE Regular Season Championship
February 14, 2013
Hockey Ties With Curry, 1-1
February 11, 2013
Yarber, Miller Help Hockey Win Third Straight
February 6, 2013
Hockey Holds on For 3-2 Win Over Becker
February 3, 2013
Hockey Cruises Past Johnson & Wales, 8-3
January 30, 2013
Hockey Ties Nichols, 2-2
January 29, 2013
Jameson Named ECAC Northeast Player of the Week
January 28, 2013
Hockey Edged by Williams, 1-0
January 26, 2013
Hockey Works Overtime for Third Straight Win
January 24, 2013
Hockey Rallies Past Western New England
January 23, 2013
Miller Earns ECAC Northeast Weekly Honors
January 20, 2013
Hockey Picks Up First Home Win, 3-1 Over Curry
January 15, 2013
Hockey Shut Out by Tufts, 2-0
January 8, 2013
Cobbold Named ECAC Northeast Rookie of the Week
January 6, 2013
Hockey Edges Fitchburg State, 2-1
January 5, 2013
Hockey Falls to UMass Boston, 5-2
December 31, 2012
Hockey Holds Off Middlebury, 3-2
December 30, 2012
Manhattanville Tops Hockey, 4-1
December 6, 2012
Hockey Falls to Wesleyan, 3-1
December 1, 2012
Hockey Bounces Back With Win at Becker
November 29, 2012
Sides Set to Make AHL Debut
November 29, 2012
Hockey Falls to Nichols in Overtime, 4-3
November 19, 2012
Hockey Edged by Plymouth State, 2-1
November 17, 2012
Hockey Wins Second Straight
November 14, 2012
Hockey Rolls Past Johnson & Wales
November 8, 2012
Late Goal Lifts Western New England Past Hockey Team
November 7, 2012
Hockey Rallies Past Salem State, 3-2
November 3, 2012
Hockey Overpowers Worcester State, 7-2
November 2, 2012
Jameson's Late Goal Helps Hockey Open With a Tie
October 31, 2012
Hockey Picked as Preseason Favorite in ECAC Northeast