Men’s Ice Hockey to Host JWU in CNE First Round Wednesday

Men’s Ice Hockey to Host JWU in CNE First Round Wednesday
SUFFOLK vs. JOHNSON & WALES
Date
Time
Venue

Video
Stats
Notes
Series
Last Meeting
Last Suffolk Win
Streak
Wednesday, Feb. 25
6:00 PM
Porrazzo Rink
East Boston, Mass.
CNE Network
GoSuffolkRams.com
GoSuffolkRams.com
13-23-4
Jan. 24, 2026, W, 4-1
Same
Won 5 

BOSTON – Suffolk men's ice hockey's chase for the Conference of New England (CNE) crown starts Wednesday, Feb. 25 as the third-seeded Rams welcome sixth seed Johnson & Wales to Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink for First Round action at 6:00 p.m. 

SOCIALIZE
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on FacebookInstagram and XFans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

2026 CNE MEN'S ICE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
First Round – Wednesday, Feb. 25
Game 1: No. 5 Nichols at No. 4 Curry – 6:00 p.m. – Live Stats | Live Video
Game 2: No. 6 Johnson & Wales at No. 3 Suffolk – 6:00 p.m. – Live Stats | Live Video

Semifinals – Saturday, Feb. 28
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 at No. 1 University of New England – 7:00 p.m.
Game 4: Winner of Game 2 at No. 2 Endicott – 1:00 p.m. 

Championship – Saturday, March 7
Game 5: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 3 – Hosted by Highest Remaining Seed 

MORE READING: CNE Championship Central 

SUFFOLK IN THE POSTSEASON *

  • Suffolk is playing in the postseason for the second straight season and 11th time. 
  • The Rams are competing in the league's postseason field as the third seed for the second time, first since 2009-10.
  • The blue-and-gold will host its fourth postseason game in program history.
  • Suffolk is 2-10-0 in the postseason. 
  • At home, the Rams are 1-2-0 in postseason play. 
  • On the road, the blue-and-gold is 1-8-0. 
  • Suffolk has needed overtime to decide a winner in postseason play twice; 2008 ECAC Quarterfinals and the 2016 ECAC Quarterfinals. Both of those games were against Wentworth.
  • The Rams are 1-1-0 in OT outings in conference postseason action.
  • Suffolk has advanced from a league's first round and/or quarterfinal twice, including last season. 
  • The Rams have never made a conference championship contest according to the game-by-game record books.
  • The Rams will play in the 3 vs. 6 first round game for the third time, first since 2014-15. Suffolk is 0-2-0 in such games, all of which have come against Johnson & Wales.
  • There has been four shutouts in the postseason in Suffolk's history.
  • The Rams are 1-3-0 when a team is kept off the scoreboard.  
  • Suffolk is 1-1-0 in postseason action under Shawn McEachern's guidance. 
  • The Rams have faced JWU in the postseason four times. Suffolk is 0-4-0 in those outings.

all records are noted through the game-by-game record books, which dates through the 1999-2000 campaign. 

SUFFOLK IN CNE POSTSEASON

  • Suffolk will begin its fourth overall and second straight CNE postseason run.
  • The Rams will host their seven-ever CNE postseason game. 
  • The blue-and-gold is unbeaten, 1-0-0, as the home team in the CNE Tournament. 
  • Suffolk looks to advance from the CNE First Round for the second time overall and in as many seasons. 
  • Suffolk is 1-3-0 in CNE tournament play. 
  • Suffolk and Johnson & Wales will tangle in the CNE postseason for the first time. 
  • A Rams' CNE postseason game was decided via shutout for the first time in the Rams' history last season, with the 4-0 CNE First Round cleansheet over Nichols. 
  • A Suffolk CNE postseason game has never exceeded regulation.

LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk men's ice hockey saw its 11-game unbeaten streak come to an end Saturday afternoon as Conference of New England (CNE) counterpart Curry defeated the Rams, 4-1, in the regular season finale at the Canton Ice House. 

MORE READING: Curry Ends Men's Ice Hockey's Streak, 4-1

SUFFOLK SCORES

RAMS RUNDOWN

  • Suffolk earned the No. 3 seed in the Conference of New England Tournament after splitting the final regular season series with Curry.
  • The Rams enter the postseason at 16-8-1 overall and 15-4-1 in conference play.
  • Suffolk owns the 13th-ranked scoring offense in Division III at 3.96 goals per game.
  • Special teams have been a strength, highlighted by the 16th-ranked penalty kill in the nation at .872.
  • Marko Giourof leads Suffolk with 32 points (13g, 19a), ranking third in the conference in points, fourth in assists and seventh in goals.
  • Nolan Leonard sits second in the conference in assists and fourth in points with 29 (7g, 22a).
  • Aidan O'Connell's 14 goals rank third in the league, and Daniel McKiernan's 13 goals are sixth. O'Connell also ranks seventh in points (14g, 11a).
  • Dimitri Voyatzis has added 17 points (4g, 13a) in 24 games.
  • In net, Austin McNicholas has started 24 games, posting a 15-8-1 record with a 2.04 goals against average and a .909 save percentage.

WILDCAT WAYS

  • Johnson & Wales enter the tournament as the No. 6 seed after finishing 8-14-3 overall and 6-12-2 in conference play.
  • JWU secured its postseason berth by forcing a tie with Endicott in the regular season finale.
  • Connor Nelson leads the Wildcats with 20 points (15g, 5a) and three game-winning goals.
  • Joseph Sciabarra has 13 points (2g, 11a), while Roman Wainwright (6g, 6a) and Zachary Brady (4g, 8a) each have 12.
  • Jake Inzirillo has made 17 starts in goal, recording a 3.34 goals against average and a .914 save percentage. Maxim Zinchenko has posted a .919 save percentage in nine appearances.

WE MEET AGAIN
Suffolk swept the three-game regular-season series with Johnson & Wales. The Rams blanked the Wildcats in the first meeting, 6-0, Dec. 6, snuck by JWU Jan 23, 3-2, and skated by their conference counterparts, 4-1, Jan. 24.  

GAME 1 MORE READING: Men's Ice Hockey Takes Care of JWU, 6-0, in First Semester Finale
GAME 2 MORE READING: Men's Ice Hockey Completes 3-2 Comeback Against Johnson & Wales
GAME 3 MORE READING: 
Men's Ice Hockey Secures Series Sweep, Skates by JWU, 4-1 

INSIDE THE SERIES

  • Suffolk has defeated Johnson & Wales in five straight meetings, including three this season, to inch closer in the all-time series, 13-23-4. 
  • The blue-and-gold has commanded the series as of late, going 9-1-0 versus JWU in the last 10 meetings. In that span, Suffolk has outscored the Wildcats, 43-19
  • The Rams boasts a 6-12-3 record at home versus the Wildcats.
  • There have been six shutouts in the all-time series. Those meetings are evenly divided between Suffolk (3) and Johnson & Wales (3). The Rams have had the upperhand in cleansheets as of late with their three coming over the first five meetings.
  • The blue-and-gold is unbeaten, 4-0-0, under Shawn McEachern's guidance against JWU.  

MORE INFO: Suffolk vs. Johnson & Wales – All-Time Series

STATS SHOWDOWN

WHAT'S NEXT?
The victor from Wednesday's action moves onto the semifinals Saturday, Feb. 28 at second seed Endicott at 1:00 p.m.