EVERETT, Mass. – Senior Connor Bates (Laconia, N.H.) scored two goals and added an assist to help the Johnson & Wales University ice hockey team score three unanswered goals in the third period and take a 4-2 win over Wentworth Institute of technology in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Saturday afternoon.
With the win the Wildcats pick up their second straight triumph and improve to 8-9-2 overall and 4-7-1 in CCC play while the Leopards dip to 4-12-3 (2-8-2) with the loss.
A scoreless first period few scoring opportunities for both teams as the Leopards held an 11-5 shot advantage, which included four shots on a pair of power plays.
Just 42 seconds into the second period Wentworth took a 1-0 lead as junior Jake McDonough (Marshfield, Mass.) scored from freshman CJ Grinnell (Burlington, Mass.) and senior Jake Flynn (Lino Lakes, Minn.). That lead stood until the 7:29 mark when Bates netted a shorthanded marker from classmate Fran Mackin (Philadelphia, Pa.). With 3:32 left in the stanza, Flynn gave the Leopards a 3-2 lead on a goal which was assisted by Grinnell.
The Wildcats tied the game at the 2:00-minute mark of the third period when Mackin set up Bates and, just 56 seconds later, went ahead 3-2 on a goal from sophomore Chad Guderian (Coppell, Texas). Bates set up an insurance goal at 5:29 as he fed senior James Hyatt (Coral Springs, Fla.).
Senior Joey Ballmer (Kalamazoo, Mich.) picked up the win, making 29 saves while freshman Kenny Graham (Milton, Mass.) took the loss, making 17 saves in 45:27. Junior Ryan Hubbard (West Roxbury, Mass.) made four saves in 13:02 of action. Wentworth had a 31-25 shot advantage.
Wentworth hosts Suffolk on Thursday night. That same night Johnson & Wales is at Endicott.
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