Men’s Hockey Returns Home Saturday for Showdown with Wentworth

BOSTON – After two road stops, the Suffolk men's hockey team returns to the friendly confines of Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink in Charlestown for a Saturday, Nov. 12 meeting with CCC foes Wentworth. The showdown is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. 

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LAST TIME OUT
In a clash of two Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) squads, the Suffolk men's hockey team trailed 2-1 with less than one minute remaining in regulation. Mikhail Bryan put in the equalizing goal with just 15 seconds remaining to force overtime for the first time this season, but neither the Rams or Golden Bears scored in the extra minutes to end in a 2-2 tie at Olympia Ice Arena Thursday night.

MORE READING: Bryan Pushes Men's Hockey to 2-2 Draw at Western New England

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Suffolk picked up its first CCC points of the 2016-17 campaign Thursday night as the Rams skated to a 2-2 stalemate at Western New England to move to 1-2-1 overall and 0-2-1 against conference competition.

Through four games, Tommy Bishop leads 10 Rams' skaters who have notched a point this season as the sophomore forward has five to his credit with a team-high two goals and three assists. Mikhail Bryan is second on the squad with three points on one goal and two handouts with five skaters in blue and gold owning two points apiece.

In net, Michael Levine is the most experienced goaltender this season. The sophomore is 1-1-1 with 96 saves (.923) and eight goals allowed (2.35 GAAA). 

LOOK AT THE LEOPARDS
Wentworth tallied its first mark in the win column this season Thursday at Johnson & Wales, defeating the Wildcats, 2-1, to bring a 1-4 season mark and 1-2 league ledger into Saturday's showdown.

Dakoda Menslage's four points, all on assists, lead the way offensively for the Leopards with nine different skaters recording a point across five outings. Angus Johnston is the lone skater on Wentworth with multiple goals, two, and is second on the team in points with three.

All three goaltenders on the Leopards' roster have seen action on the young season with Ryan Hubbard seeing the majority of time.  The junior has made 91 stops (.892) and gave up 11 goals (3.35) in four appearances, three starts. 

THE SERIES
Suffolk and Wentworth have a storied history since 1999, with the Rams trailing the all-time meetings, 5-20-2. The two rivals last met in the ECAC Northeast First Rounds a year ago, with the Leopards ending the blue and gold's season, 4-3, in overtime. 

EYES ON THE GAME

SHORT-HANDED
Luke Miller's first goal of the season came in short-handed fashion at Western New England Nov. 10. The junior forward is the first Ram to net a man-down score since Justin Selep '16 put one away in a 5-2 win at Nichols Jan. 16, 2016. 

CCC FROZEN FIRST
Simon Leahy's first goal of the season turned out to be a historic one as the senior from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was the first player across the CCC to find the back of the netting on the inaugural night of play for the first-year league. Since the tally was on the power play, he added to the historics, as the forward also became the first CCC skater to put one away on the man advantage opportunity. 

CCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tommy Bishop of the Suffolk men's hockey team will go down in history as the first-ever Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player of the Week as the sophomore grabbed the initial award of the inaugural season after a career opening night, the conference office announced Monday afternoon. 

MORE READING: Bishop Grabs First-Ever CCC Player of the Week Nod

UP NEXT
Suffolk heads right back out on the road as the Rams make the trip to Curry Thursday, Nov. 17. Game time between the Rams and Colonels is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.