Statistics
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- For the first time in program history, No.5 University of New England has started a season with five consecutive victories, as the Nor'easters defeated Western New England University by a 3-1 margin in a Conference of New England (CNE) men's ice hockey matchup on Saturday (Nov. 15) at Olympia Ice Center.
UNE (5-0, 4-0 CNE) surpasses the very abbreviated 2020-21 campaign, which only consisted of four outings -- all wins. The Golden Bears, who were blitzed out of the building last weekend when visiting the Nor'easters, remain winless through four games.
The visitors conceded an early goal to Western New England, off the stick of Gavin Mastrodonato, but
Juraj Elias brought UNE back level three minutes later on the power play. Three of the four goals on the year for Elias have come during an advantage.
Things were still 1-1 over 20 minutes later, until
Braxton Powers scored his second goal of the season (both against WNEU) at the 8:20 mark of the 2nd. Moments later, the Nor'easters went on the power play and padded the lead with a tally by
Drew Olivieri, who now has a team-best five goals (all from the last 3 games).
While the two-goal spread was enough for the result, three scores was a low for the nation's top-rated scoring offense (7.25) and scoring margin (+6.00). UNE did manage to maintain its first-ranked and unblemished penalty kill, though, now clear from 20 straight opponent power play situations.
After the initial score,
Stefan Kulhanek logged 24 saves for the goaltending decision in his first career start. On the opposite side, Nikita Volsky had 40 stops for the Golden Bears.
The offense received assists out of Elias,
Dominic Murphy,
Chip Hamlett,
David Wilcox,
Ryan Hadland, and
Cam Bergeman. Murphy, like Olivieri, has factored in at least one scoring play in each game so far. Elias has multiple points in the last three contests. The Nor'easters were also dominant down the middle, as Olivieri, Elias, and
Ike Keller combined to win 37-of-49 faceoffs.
UNE's lone contest before Thanksgiving will be Friday in Rhode Island against Johnson & Wales University.
