Men’s Ice Hockey Storms by No. 7 UNE, 2-0

BIDDEFORD, Maine – Suffolk men's ice hockey reemerged in the win column in convincing fashion as the Rams shutout No. 7 University of New England, 2-0, in Conference of New England (CNE) play Friday night at Harold Alfond Forum. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2 | No. 7 University of New England 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (6-6-1, 6-2-1 CNE)) | No. 7 University of New England (9-4-0, 6-2-0 CNE) 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bobby Lachance won a face-off in UNE's zone and the puck zoomed back to Jake Grace at the blue line. Grace dished ahead to Daniel McKiernan at the top of the right face-off dot, who turned quick and sent an attempt towards the cage. The puck bounced off Nor'Easters defenders and into the back of the net to give the Rams a 1-0 edge 3:05 into the contest. 
• Defense turned into offense for the blue-and-gold in the middle period. Michael Gallagher intercepted a University of New England pass at the Rams' blue line and Lachance picked up the loose pick and dished ahead to a zooming Ralph Berry. Berry centered a perfect pass for Joe O'Brien to connect and pad Suffolk's advantage to a pair with 4:09 to go in the second stanza.  
• UNE kept the Rams on their heels in the third as the host was trying to break on the board. Austin McNicholas had another thing in mind as the freshman goalie denied all nine shots he faced. Suffok's defense also came up clutch with six blocks, half of which came in the final minute to not only preserve the victory, but the clean sheet.  

NETMINDER NOTES

• McNicholas finished with 27 saves in the shutout. 
• Harrison Chesney logged 12 saves in the setback. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• McKiernan and O'Brien were responsible for the Rams' goals with one apiece. 
• Grace, Berry, Lachance and Voyatzis dished out one assist each. 
• UNE outshot Suffolk, 48-35, including a 27-14 upper hand in shots on target. 
• The Nor'Easters also won the battle in the face-off circle, 32-22. 
• Suffolk's defense blocked 13 shots on the night. 
• Neither team gave up a power play goal. Suffolk went 0-for-2 on the man-up, while UNE skated on the power play once. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk snapped a 12-game skid against the University of New England, defeating the Nor'Easters for just the second time in the all-time series, first since Feb. 11, 2017, a 4-3 triumph. 
• The win marked the first for the blue-and-gold versus UNE in Biddeford, Maine, under Shawn McEachern's guidance and in shutout fashion. 
• Suffolk is now 2-16-1 all-time versus UNE. 
• The cleansheet was the fourth in the all-time series, first since Nov. 23, 2024. 
• Suffolk is the first team to keep UNE off the scoreboard this season and first since then-No. 3 Endicott Jan. 14, 2023, 3-0. 
• The Rams logged their third clean sheet of the season, all of which belong to McNicholas. 
• McKiernan potted his seventh goal of the year, second game-winner. 
• O'Brien registered his first point of the season with one strike.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk looks to carry winning momentum into tomorrow's Saturday, Jan. 10 showdown that closes the home-and-home with UNE in Eastie at 6:00 p.m.