Men’s Hockey Takes Down Becker, 4-1

CHARLESTOWN, Mass. – Four different Rams scored as the Suffolk men's hockey team returned to the win column Friday night with a 4-1 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) victory over Becker at Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4, Becker 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (7-8-2, 4-6-1 CCC) | Becker (4-12-1, 2-9-0 CCC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Jack Jenkins put the Rams on the board first and early. IN a cluster in front of Richard D'Ortenzio the Rams' senior captain chipped the puck past the Hawk' goalie 6:41 into the action to give the blue-and-gold an early 1-0 edge. 

Just two minutes out of the locker room in the second stanza and the Hawks evened the playing field. Freshman Jake Tomkowiak flipped the puck over Michael Levine's pads thanks to Corey Schafer's help. 

The Rams had the chance to go ahead once again as they went on a 5-on-3 for 1:14 early. Becker successfully killed the penalty, but Suffolk gained a 2-1 advantage anyways 35 seconds later. Abbene had his second assist on the night as he set up Connor Parent's first goal of the season at the 6:30 minute mark. 

Jack Kelly pushed Suffolk's cushion to two with less than five minutes remaining in the middle period. The rookie used help from Brian Brooks and Abbene, who had a hand in each of Suffolk's three goals, to turn it into a 3-1 Suffolk game. 

Suffolk commanded the final frame, limiting the Hawks to just six shots on target, while peppering D'Ortenzio with 20. The Rams took advantage of their fourth power play of the period with Brooks netting a goal with 2:04 remaining in regulation. Sam Kent and Mikhail Bryan each assisted on the sophomore's seventh goal of the season. 

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Levine turned aside 31 attempts to improve to 6-6-2 in between the pipes this year.
• D'Ortenzio made 38 stops in the setback. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Four different Rams were responsible for Suffolk's four goals in Brooks, Jenkins, Kelly and Parent.
• Overall, seven different skaters wearing blue-and-gold notched at least one point in the win with Brooks (1g, 1a), Abbene (3a) and Kent (2a) each having multi-point performances.
• Suffolk outshot Becker, 42-32.
• The Hawks held a slim 39-38 edge inside the faceoff circle.
• Suffolk converted one of its five power play opportunities and successful killed off all four of its penalties. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk gained a 10-9-2 lead in the all-time series with Becker, which dates back through the 2007-08 season.
• Abbene had a career-night with three assists. He is the second Ram to hand out a three or more helpers in one outing this year with Parent dished out four in a 5-5 tie versus the University of New England Dec. 1.  
• Kent matched his career-high with his two-assist effort.
• Parent scored his first goal of the season.
• Brooks and Parent each extended their point streaks. Brooks has now recorded at least one point over the last three games, scoring three goals and handing out one assist in that stretch. Parent, meanwhile, has one goal and one assist over the last two contests.
• The Rams match their most wins in Commonwealth Coast Conference action with their fourth league victory. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk and Becker conclude the home-and-home series tomorrow as the Rams make the trip to Worcester, Massachusetts, for a 7 p.m. clash at the Fidelity Ice Center.