EVERETT, Mass. – Junior Luke Miller (Lancaster, Calif.) scored the game's only goal and senior Kevin Venturoso (Franklin, Mass.) stopped all 23 shots he faced as the Suffolk University ice hockey team defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology, 1-0, in a Commonwealth Coast Conference contest played at Allied Veterans Rink.
The Rams snap a two-game losing streak with the victory and improve to 5-10-4 (3-8-2) while the Leopards see their record fall to 4-13-3 (2-9-2).
Both teams were unable to get into the flow of the game in the early going and it led to few shots. Wentworth went on its first power play of the night at 8:17 however were unable to get any shots.
Miller's goal, which came at 13:40, came off a rebound of his own shot. Sophomore Sean Henry (Trumbull, Conn.) and junior Jack Jenkins (Billerica, Mass.) set up Miller whose initial shot was saved by junior Ryan Hubbard (West Roxbury, Mass.) but Hubbard was unable to make the save on the rebound. Suffolk had a 14-5 shot advantage in the opening frame.
Wentworth's best chance of the contest came at the midway point of the second period when sophomore Paul Filippone (Cranston, R.I.) broke up a play on the Rams' power play and went in alone. However, Venturoso made a stop on the bid, keeping the Rams ahead.
To start the third period the Leopards had a pair of shots on a power play, however were unable to put one home. Wentworth had its second power play of the period with just under six minutes remaining but managed just one shot.
Hubbard was pulled for an extra attacker with 1:52 remaining and again with 10 seconds left. During the second extra attacker situation, sophomore Angus Johnston (Calgary, Alta.) nearly tied the game but Venturoso made one final save to secure the shutout victory.
Hubbard made 30 saves as Suffolk had a 31-23 shot advantage.
Wentworth is at No. 11/12 Endicott on Saturday.
