HARRISVILLE, R.I. (Jan. 16) – Senior forward Zeke Costello (Shelby Township, Mich.) became the Nichols College all-time assists leader as the Bison defeated Worcester State, 5-4, in non-conference men’s ice hockey action at June Rockwell Levy Rink Saturday evening. With 80 career assists, Costello eclipses the 31-year old mark of 79 set by Dave Delmonico (1974-78).
With a 4-3 lead in the third period, Will Munson (Corona, Calif.) found Costello as he skated across the slot in front of the Worcester State net. Costello was hit, but as he fell to the ice, he swept the puck to Matt Sayer (Lowell, Mass.) in front of the net for the junior to roof the puck on what turned out to be the game-winning goal.
Nichols (7-6-2) headed into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead thanks to Munson’s sixth goal of the season at the 15:34 mark. With both teams down a skater, Eric Cremer (Chelsea, Mich.) collected the puck down in the left corner and snapped it to Drew Palmer (Chelmsford, Mass.) at the near point. Palmer skated it in a few steps before sending it across to Munson at the top of the right circle where the junior wristed a quick shot past the blocker of Worcester State goaltender TJ Cuneo.
The Bison extended their lead to three goals by the end of the second period on a power-play goal and a pair of even-strength tallies around one Worcester State strike. Zach Hendrickson (Farmingdale, N.Y.) got things rolling on the man advantage with a one-timer at the far post. Danny Greiner (Columbus, Ohio) sent the puck through the neutral zone to Matt Roberts (Merrimac, Mass.) as he was breaking down the left. Roberts crossed the puck to Hendrickson for the sophomore’s fourth goal of the season at 3:34.
Worcester State (3-9-0) got on the board 26 seconds later when Justin Brownstein slapped in a centering pass from behind the net by Chris Wallin. Wallin moved around behind to the right for the quick pass as Brownstein positioned himself into the top of the crease and got the puck under a sliding Ryan Casey (Pelham, N.H.).
Nichols extended its lead back to two goals at the midpoint of the second period on Zach Kohn’s (Hartland, Wis.) team-leading 12th goal of the season. Andrew Ella (Schomberg, Ont.) brought the puck into the zone on the left and passed the puck across the slot to Munson on the right. With Kohn trailing, Munson dropped it back for the rookie to roof a wrister past Cuneo’s glove at 9:25.
The Bison added another with 1:25 left in the middle stanza on a breakout play started by first-year defender JD Gordon (Belchertown, Mass.). The rookie sent the puck out of the Bison zone to Kohn, who brought the puck through the right side of the neutral zone into Lancers’ territory along the boards before crossing it to Andrew Letellier (Saco, Maine), who redirected it past Cuneo for his fourth goal on the year.
It was Worcester State who had the upper hand in the final frame, scoring three goals on a 16-7 shot advantage despite starting the period on the penalty kill after being whistled for too many men on the ice at the conclusion of the middle frame.
Cole Motz wrapped around a wide rebound from a low backhander by Tim Stalmok to cut the Bison’s lead to two goals, scoring his first goal of the year at 4:58. Andrew Brady followed less than four minutes later with a power-play tally to cut Nichols’ lead to one, 4-3. Mark Rintel fired from the top of the circle and was denied by Casey, but the rebound came out to John Cahalane in the left circle. Cahalane pushed it back to the slot for Rintel who snuck the puck between Casey’s glove and pads with a wrist shot at 8:50.
Sayer’s goal from Costello and Munson at 12:29 again edged the Bison ahead by two, but the Lancers responded almost immediately as Rintel notched a one-timer off a pass from Wallin just 29 seconds later to come within one again.
Casey finished with 25 saves to improve to 4-4-2 overall, while Cuneo stopped 32 shots and falls to 2-2-0.
Nichols is back in action on Wednesday, January 20th in a 7 p.m. ECAC Northeast game against Johnson & Wales at Levy Rink. Worcester State travels to Framingham State for a 7:20 p.m. MASCAC game on Thursday, January 21st.
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