Hockey Opens League Play with Tie at Western New England

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The opening night of Commonwealth Coast Conference play saw Wentworth Institute of Technology and Western New England experience the league's new overtime format, where, after the teams tied 2-2, a three-on-three, five-minute sudden death overtime was played. Senior Connor Busch (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) gave the Leopards the extra point on the night with his goal at 2:50.

THE BASICS:

RECORDS:  Wentworth, 1-1-1 (0-0-1 CCC); Western New England, 1-0-1 (0-0-1 CCC)
SHOTS:  WNE 40, WNE, 19
PENALTIES/MINUTES:  WIT 6/12; WNE, 6/12
POWER PLAYS:  WIT 2-5; WNE 0-5
SAVES:  WIT – Ryan Bonnvie, 17; WNE - Kyle Carducci, 38

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Wentworth carried play throughout the first period, outshooting Western New England, 14-4. The lone goal of the period came on the power play when senior Georgy Gorodetsky (Yekaterinburg, Russia) put home a power play goal when he scored from the right circle, assisted by Busch and senior Nate Chase (Plainfield, Ill.).
• Western New England evened the score at 1-all when senior Corey Kennedy (Clemmons, N.C.) picked off a clearing pass and found classmate Dom Blad (Springfield, Mass.) who scored from the top of the left circle.
• The Leopards took a 2-1 lead just 1:49 into the third period when senior Adam Tracey (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) scored a power-play goal from just in front of the net, which was assisted by Busch and Gorodetsky. Three minutes and 40 seconds later, the hosts evened the score when junior Nolan Zweep (Abbotsford, B.C.) fed a pass from along the boards to classmate Luciano Bucci (Franklin Square, N.Y.), who skated in left to right and found the back of the net.
• A late penalty called on Western New England in the third period gave the Black & Gold a power play, which carried into overtime, however, were unable to score. Wentworth had a 3-0 advantage in shots in the overtime period.
• With the game considered a tie for official purposes, Busch gave Wentworth an extra point in the standings when he scored on the Leopards' second shot of the frame, coming at 2:50, and assisted by Tracey.
• Wentworth had a 40-19 shot advantage. Sophomore Ryan Bonnvie (Falmouth, Maine) made 38 saves while Western New England senior Kyle Carducci (Rocky Hill, Conn.) made 17 saves.

SERIES NOTES:

• Tonight marked the 37th all-time meeting between the two teams and the first tie in the series. Wentworth, which leads 29-7-1, had its four-game series winning streak snapped but ran its unbeaten streak to five (4-0-1).

UP NEXT:

• The two teams play the second game of their weekend series tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m., in Everett, Mass.

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