Men’s Hockey Staves Off Assumption in Season Debut, 5-4

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Suffolk men's hockey team found itself down 4-3 in the opening of the third period of its season opener, but the resilient Rams found their way back and checked a mark in the win column after Tommy Bishop scored two goals over 53 seconds to take down Assumption, 5-4, at Buffone Arena Saturday night. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5, Assumption 4
RECORDS: Suffolk (1-0-0) | Assumption (0-1-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED
The team's traded goals over the first two periods, with the Hounds striking first in each instance and the Rams responding. Roles reversed in the third with sophomore Nick Mosher giving Suffolk its first lead of the evening just 36 seconds into the final frame. Assumption had an answered, however, and netted two consecutive goals to go back in front 4-3. 

The advantage was short-lived for the hosts, however, as Bishop leveled the playing field 2:31 later. Less than a minute later the sophomore, who calls Chelmsford, Massachusetts home, struck again to give the Rams a 5-4 edge. 

Suffolk's back line anchored by sophomore netminder Michael Levine held off the Greyhounds the rest of the way to seal the season opening win.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Assumption held a slight 42-41 shot advantage. 
• The Hounds capitalized on their power play opportunities as well, going 4-for-8, compared to the Rams' 1-for-4 extra-man advantage play. 
• The Rams claimed 25 of the contest's 66 face-offs with sophomore Connor Henry being the most successful Suffolk specialist, going 5-for-8 in the circle. 
• Bishop paced Suffolk's offense with two goals and two handouts for four points. 
• Mosher and sophomore Mikhail Bryan also had a multi-point games. Mosher put away one goal and one assists, while Bryan dished out two assists. 
• Sophomores Sean Henry and Justin Holliday also found the back of the netting, scoring one goal apiece. 
• Seniors Simon Leahy and Danyil Medvedev, junior Luke Miller, and sophomores Brendan Heinze and LJ Fellows all got on the score sheet with one assist each. 

GOALS GALORE

• The Hounds struck first, as Brian Farrell put home a shot off a feed from Cam Laughlin at 15:46 on a power play for the 1-0 advantage. 
• Medvedev and Fellows set up the Rams' response, at 18:25 as Sean Henry scored Suffolk's first goal of the 2016-17 season. 
• With 10 seconds removed from the clock in the second stanza, Assumption took back the lead. It was Farrell on a power play once again. The junior scored his second goal of the day right in front off assists from Laughlin and Matt Cowles. 
• Midway through the period, the Rams evened it up, as Holliday wristed home the score.  Bishop and Mosher set-up the tying goal at 10:26. 
• Suffolk scored less than a minute into the third period on a power play to take a 3-2 lead. Mosher used handouts from Bishop and Bryan to put the Rams in front for the first time on the day. 
• Assumption's Ryan Gomez responded with a nice one-timer right in front to make it a fresh game once again. 
• The hosts jumped out in front again as Farrell completed his hat trick at 6:28. Robert Roche set up the go-ahead goal. 
• The score leveled for the fourth and final time on Bishop's first goal of the night thanks to a feed from Leahy. 
• Bishop added the game winner less than a minute later with Heinze and Bryan assisting on the tally. 

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Michael Levine earned the win in net for Suffolk, stopping 38 of 42 shots. 
• Nick Commesso took the loss despite a 35-save performance. 

NOTEWORTHY

• The five goals by Suffolk in the season opener are the most for the Rams on night one since the blue and gold scored six in a 6-3 win versus Stonehill Nov. 6, 2007. 
• Suffolk won its sixth straight season opener and second-ever win on the road in the first game of the season since 1999. 
• The Rams are now 6-1 all-time against Assumption in the season debut. 
• Suffolk improved to 11-6-1 in the all-time series against the Hounds since 1999. 
• Bishop's four-point performance  and two-goal day both mark career-bests for the sophomore. His two assists match a career-high, which was originally set in a 4-2 win over Western New England Jan. 30, 2016. 
• Fellows recorded his first collegiate point, assisting on the Rams first goal of the day. 

POST-GAME PIC

UP NEXT
Suffolk opens its home schedule and Commonwealth Coast Conference campaign against Becker Thursday, Nov. 3 at Emmons Horrigan O'Neill Memorial Rink. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.