Photo by TeamShred
Posted: Feb 02, 2024
BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Wentworth Institute of Technology men's ice hockey team (9-11-1, 5-8-1 CCC) made the most of their chances in conference play Friday night, taking down nationally ranked University of New England (13-5-3, 7-4-3 CCC) by a 3-2 score. Sophomore Jack McGovern (Ancaster, Ont.) led the defensive bout, making a season-high 48 saves in the triumph.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A streaking junior Mitch McGinn (Salem, N.H.) put the Leopards on the board 7:51 into the opening frame as the forward streaked down the side boards and fired a snap shot past junior Joe Stanizzi (Chelmsford, Mass.), marking a 1-0 score.
- Wentworth doubled their lead just before the clock struck zero at the end of the first as sophomore Nikolas Sombrowski (Fernie, B.C.) tucked home a breakaway try just in time to give the Leopards a 2-0 advantage.
- The Nor'Easters cut the deficit to one just 11 seconds into the second period as freshman Carter Gasper (Westmont, Ill.) pushed a back-door pass by graduate student Garrett Devine (Windsor, Colo.) into the net, marking a 2-1 game.
- The Leopards regained their two-goal lead as a miscue by the Nor'Easters landed on the stick of freshman Gary Claps (Norwalk, Conn.), who fired a wrister to the twine at the 11:35 mark of the second period to mark a 3-1 score.
- UNE again cut the deficit to one on a pretty tic-tac-toe play, with sophomore Juraj Elias (Slovakia) finishing a shot from the low slot to mark a 3-2 score with 9:01 left in regulation.
- The Leopards faced much more in the rest of the third, being outshot by the hosts 17-7 in total. However, McGovern stood tall, earning Wentworth a 3-2 win while making 48 stops on 50 shots. Stanizzi made 18 saves in the Nor'Easters' setback.
SERIES NOTES:
- Tonight marked the Leopards' first win over UNE since the 2020 CCC Tournament.
NEXT UP:
- Wentworth hosts UNE tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on "X," Facebook and Instagram.