Men’s Hockey to Skate at 23rd Manchester PAL/Stovepipe Tournament

BOSTON – The Suffolk men's hockey team is set to compete in the 23rd Manchester PAL/Stovepipe Tournament hosted by Southern New Hampshire this weekend at the Ice Den in Hooksett, New Hampshire. 

In the first round Saturday, the Rams will take on Bay State rival UMass Dartmouth at 1:30 p.m., the winner will advance to the championship and take on the winner of the hosts SNHU and Johnson & Wales Sunday, Nov. 27. 

SOCIALIZE
Stay up-to-date with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics by connecting with the Rams on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Be sure to use the hashtag #RamNation for an insider's look at Suffolk's teams and student-athletes.

LAST TIME OUT
The Suffolk men's hockey team took a 3-1 lead into the final regulation period, but consecutive Stonehill scores in the third stalemated the Rams into overtime for the second time this season, which eventually ended in a 3-3 tie at Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink Nov. 22. 

MORE READING: Men's Hockey Skates to 3-3 Tie With Stonehill 

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Suffolk sits at 2-4-2 on the season with its last win coming three outings ago against Wentworth Nov. 12. 

Sophomore Tommy Bishop paces the Rams' offense with eight points on three goals and five assists. Danyil Medvedev (3-2-5) and Justin Holiday (3-1-4) have also netted three tallies, while LJ Fellows has handed out five assists. 

In net, Michael Levine has seen the majority of action with the sophomore netminder starting and playing in seven outings. Facing 224 shots on the season, Levine has turned assisted 205 (.915) and let in 19 (3.03 GAA). 

CATCH UP ON THE CORSAIRS
UMass Dartmouth is 3-4 on the year after dropping its last two games, a 7-3 decision at Salem State and a 5-4 setback at Babson. 

Casey Shea is the lone Corsairs with double digits in points as the junior has produced three goals and eight assists. Matt Baldino (6-3-9) and Mike Sones (6-2-8) lead UMass Dartmouth in scoring with six goals apiece. 

Drew Michals and Jacob Ferreira have each seen action in between the pipes this season. Michals has started and played six contests, saving 119 shots (.915) and giving up 11 goals (3.51 GAA). Ferreira, meanwhile, has 60 saves and seven goals allowed in just 60 minutes of action. 

THE SERIES
The Suffolk, UMass Dartmouth series dates back to 1999 with the Corsairs dominating the all-time meetings, 8-3. The Rams grabbed the  last victory, 5-2, last season.

EYES ON THE GAME

PIECES ON THE PENMEN
SNHU takes a four-game win streak into the tournament after topping Worcester State, 4-2, Nov. 22. 

Joe Gollins five goals and nine assists pave the way offensively for the Penmen with Griffin Rogers (5-3-8) and Brett Strawn (4-4-8) adding eight points apiece to SNHU's offensive output. 

Ryan Stlatkey has been the staple in net for SNHU, boasting a .951 save percentage and a 2.09 GAA. 

INSIDES THE SERIES 6-9-3
Suffolk and Southern New Hampshire have met every year on the ice since 2001. The Rams have picked up the last two meetings, a 9-5 win last season and a 5-4 overtime thriller in 2014-15, but the blue and gold trail the all-time series 6-9-3.

EYES ON THE GAME

WILDCAT WAYS
After picking two wins to open the season, Suffolk's Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) counterpart, Johnson & Wales has gone winless in its last six outings dating back to November 3 to bring a 2-4-2 into tournament play. 

Stefan Brucato leads all the Wildcats with three goals and four assists for seven points. Matt Lanzillotti's six points on two tallies and four handouts are good for second on the team, with the trio of Connor Bates (2-3-5), Ben Brouillard (2-3-5) and Fran Mackin (4-1-5) each having five points to their credits. 

Joey Ballmer has stood tall as JWU's goaltender this season, holding down a .909 save percentage and a 2.78 GAA. 

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk has fell in the past three meetings to Johnson & Wales in a yearly rivalry that dates back to 1999. The Rams trail the all-time series 3-21-2. 

EYES ON THE GAME

UP NEXT
Suffolk returns to league action Thursday, Dec. 1 as it heads to the University of New England. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. 

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
After Thanksgiving Suffolk heads to Hooksett, New Hampshire, for the two-day Manchester PAL Cup hosted by SNHU. The Rams will first face UMass Dartmouth Saturday, Nov. 26 at 1:30 p.m. at the Ice Den with its Sunday opponent determined on Saturday's outcome. The winner will take on the winner of Johnson & Wales and the Penmen.