Statistics

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- The No.5 University of New England men's ice hockey team continued its program-best start to a year -- now at six straight victories -- with a 3-2 Conference of New England (CNE) win versus Johnson & Wales University at Lynch Arena on Friday night (Nov. 21).

The Nor'easters (6-0-0, 5-0-0 CNE) never trailed in the contest and got all of their offense on the advantage, netting three power-play goals from Cam Bergeman, Juraj Elias, and Dominic Murphy during the initial 40 minutes. Harrison Chesney came up with a season-best 26 saves to backstop the result.

The Wildcats (3-3-1, 1-3-0) took six penalties on the evening, and Bergeman made good on the second one with a few minutes left in the opening frame, as an attempt from the top of the left circle caromed past JWU goalie Maxim Zinchenko. Jayden Price and Jacob Pellerin tallied assists on the play in transition.

While Zinchenko was peppered into 18 1st-period saves for the hosts, the deficit was just one until the 7:32 mark of the 2nd when Davis Bone capitalized on a bounce out in front to tie things at 1-1.

But then more penalty trouble caught up with JWU. Thirteen seconds into a UNE 5-on-3, Elias cashed in with his four PP goal in five scores this season -- he entered the day one off the lead in Division III. Murphy was cycling in the left circle and saucered it over to Elias for a far-side snap over the blocker.

Before the second penalty was released, the Wildcats took another one to set the Nor'easters up with 59 more ticks of a two-man advantage. That's when Murphy curled into the slot and flicked a wrist shot into the top-right corner for a 3-1 cushion. With two points in the match, Murphy keeps pace with the standard that was tied for the best in the country at the start of the night. Drew Olivieri assisted on the goal, and Chip Hamlett notched his second in as many moments.

The margin was sliced to one just 2:20 into the 3rd, as JWU's Joe Freeman stepped into a long rebound from straightaway and blasted a shot under the bar. The home side then had its second chance to skate 5-on-4 in a span of eight minutes, but couldn't put a try on frame. UNE is now 22-for-22 on the penalty kill so far this year.

Zinchenko elevated his ending save number to 38 for the Wildcats, while keeping the visitors off of the board in the final period for the second game in-a-row.

The Nor'easters are back in action next Saturday (Nov. 29) at the Skidmore College Thanksgiving Invitational. The opening-round date is with Tufts University, which is receiving votes in the latest national poll.