Nichols Rallies Past Worcester State, 6-3

Auburn, MA --- The Nichols College men's ice hockey team improved to 5-0 on the season with a 6-3 win at Worcester State Wednesday afternoon. The Lancers (2-3, 1-2 ECACNE) took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, but the Bison,(5-0, 2-0 ECACNE) led by a goal and two assists from senior captain Cole Ruwe (Pekin, IL), and senior assistant captain Anthony Monte (Chicago, IL) rallied for the win.

Billy O'Neil (Strafford, PA) and Andy Orsini (Rochester, MA) scored four minutes apart in the opening frame to give Worcester State a 2-0 lead after the first period, but seconds after a goal was waved off due to a player in the crease early in the second frame, Ruwe potted a slapshot on the power play to bring the Bison within one, and then Monte placed a power-play goal in the upper right corner from the high slot to knot the game just over three minutes later.

Worcester State pulled ahead by a goal midway through the second on a Dan Drinkwater goal and carried a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.

Jeff Bieber (Littleton, CO) put the Bison up with his second goal of the season at 9:18 of the third, and then Ryan Gervais (Chicago, IL) deflected in a puck with his skate to give the Bison a two-goal lead just over a minute later.

Matt Roberts (Merrimac, MA) and Matt Sayer (Lowell, MA) added goals 24 seconds apart late in the third to cap the Bison's comeback.

Nichols netminders Keith Fink (Easton, MD) and Mike Davis (Monroe, MI) combined for 26 saves, while Worcester State goaltender Andrew Evans stopped 31 Bison shots.

Nichols killed off two five-minute penalties, one early in the first, and another midway through the second, holding the Lancers 0-for-4 on the power play. The Bison capitalized on two of five man-up opportunities in the game.

Nichols is back in action on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. hosting Stonehill at Levy Rink while the Worcester State will entertain Becker at 8:15.

Release Courtesy of Nichols College Sports Information