BIDDEFORD, Maine – Freshman Jeff Eppright (Barrington, N.J.) scored a pair of goals and assisted on two others as the 12th-ranked University of New England ice hockey team fended off Wentworth Institute of Technology, 6-5, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Saturday night.
With the win the Nor'Easters run their win streak to nine and their unbeaten streak to 13 (12-0-1) as they improve to 14-3-2 overall and 7-3-2 in CCC play while the Leopards fall to 5-11-3 (3-6-3).
UNE jumped out to an early, 2-0 lead as the hosts tallied twice in a span of 1:01. Eppright and sophomore Dimitrius Jones (Seattle, Wash.) set up freshman Tyler Seltenreich (Littleton, Colo.). At the 2:22 mark, just 14 seconds into a man advantage, junior Tucker Ross (Ashburn, Va.) scored from freshman Max Rasberg (Columbus, Ohio) and sophomore Ryan Burr (Toms River, N.J.).
Junior Adam Lane (Sarnia, Ont.) got Wentworth on the board 95 seconds into the middle frame as he was set up by classmates Matthew Kennedy (Mount Pearl, N.L.) and Ethan Weiss (Troy, Mich.) before a sophomore Adam Tracey (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) marker at 9:10 evened the score at 2-all. However, just 14 seconds later, Burr and junior Brady Fleurent (Biddeford, Maine) assisted on the go-ahead goal from sophomore Ryan Bloom (Northville, Mich.).
Eppright scored the next two UNE goals to give the hosts a 5-2 lead at the end of the second period. At 14:07 he scored from Rasberg and freshman Brett Mecrones (Medford, Mass.) before Jones set him up on the power play at 18:45.
The Leopards battled back and pulled within a goal, scoring twice in a span of 2:44. Kennedy scored on the power play at 3:14 from sophomores CJ Grinnell (Burlington, Mass.) and Georgy Gorodetskii (Yekaterinburg, Russia) before Grinnell made it 5-4 with his goal from sophomore Nate Chase (Plainfield, Ill.) and freshman Brenden Lloyd (Merrick, N.Y.).
A power-play goal by Bloom, assisted by Fleurent and Eppright, at 13:01 gave the Nor'Easters a two-goal cushion. However, with 4:33 remaining, UNE was called for a major penalty. With 2:45 remaining, senior Ryan Hubbard (West Roxbury, Mass.) was pulled for an extra attacker. Twelve seconds later, Gorodetskii scored the extra attacker, power-play goal, which was set up by freshman Jake Hallisey (Quincy, Mass.). After 59 seconds, Hubbard was again pulled for an extra attacker, however Wentworth was unable to get the equalizer.
Freshman Ben Churchfield (Newcastle, England) picked up the win, making 37 saves, including 16 in the third period. Hubbard made 21 saves as Wentworth had a 42-27 shot advantage.
Wentworth hosts Western New England on Thursday night.
For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Wentworth Leopards "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
March 26, 2018
Hockey Set To Team Up With St. Baldrick's Foundation
February 17, 2018
Hockey's Comeback Falls Short in CCC Quarterfinals
February 11, 2018
Hockey Seeded Sixth in CCC Tournament
February 10, 2018
Hockey Falls to Curry in Regular-Season Finale
February 9, 2018
Curry Snaps Hockey's Win Streak
February 3, 2018
Hockey Goes on the Offensive in Win Over Becker
February 2, 2018
Hockey Uses Four-Goal Third Period to Rally Past Becker
January 25, 2018
Third Period Comeback Lifts Hockey Over Western New England
January 20, 2018
UNE Holds Off Hockey's Rally
January 19, 2018
Hockey Falls Short to No. 12 UNE
January 13, 2018
Late Goal Lifts Fitchburg State Past Hockey
January 6, 2018
Rookies Help Hockey Edge Saint Anselm
January 5, 2018
Plymouth State Edges Hockey in Second Semester Opener
December 9, 2017
Hockey Wraps up First Semester With Loss at Suffolk
December 8, 2017
Hockey Nets Two in Second Period to Edge Suffolk
December 4, 2017
Graham Earns CCC Goaltender of the Week Honors
December 2, 2017
Hockey Ties at Salve Regina
December 1, 2017
Hockey Skates to Tie With Salve Regina
November 26, 2017
Hockey Holds on to Edge Southern Maine
November 25, 2017
Fast Start Lifts New England College Past Hockey
November 18, 2017
Hockey Sees Unbeaten Streak Snapped With Loss to Nichols
November 17, 2017
Hockey Rallies to Tie Nichols
November 11, 2017
Hockey Rallies Past Johnson & Wales for Second Straight Win
November 4, 2017
Endicott Pulls Away from Hockey
November 2, 2017
Hockey Foiled by Late Endicott Goal
October 28, 2017
Castleton Skates Past Hockey in Home Opener
October 27, 2017
Hockey Falls to UMass Boston in Season Opener
October 18, 2017
Hockey Picked to Finish Sixth in CCC Preseason Poll