Men’s Ice Hockey Starts 2025-26 Season with Salem State Saturday

SUFFOLK vs. SALEM STATE
Date Time Venue Video Stats Notes Series Last Meeting Last Suffolk Win Streak	Saturday, Nov. 1 4:50 PM Porrazzo Rink East Boston, Mass. CNE Network GoSuffolkRams.com GoSuffolkRams.com 5-2-2 Nov. 2, 2024, W, 3-2 (OT) Same W5

BOSTON – Suffolk men's ice hockey's season opener pits the Rams against the Vikings of Salem State Saturday, Nov. 1 at Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink at 4:50 p.m. 

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RAPID REWIND
Suffolk men's ice hockey had its most successful season in a decade last year as it went 13-11-3 overall, made the Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament for the first time since 2022 and won its first postseason game since 2008.

All-CNE Second-Team honoree Josh Milso (3g, 10a) headline the returners that includes Scott McManus (6g, 8a), Nick Liotino (2g, 9a), Gavin Havens (5g, 5a) and Ryan Webb (5g, 5a), all of whom pitched in double-digit points to Suffolk's 58-goal scoring unit.

Kannon Flageolle has the most experience in between the pipes with nine games played over the last two years. Junior Max Banoun is back in the fold as well as Austin McNicholas, one of nine newcomers on Suffolk's squad. 

RAMS ROOKIES
Coming off its most successful season in a decade, Suffolk men's ice hockey head coach Shawn McEachern hit the recruiting trail in the off-season and brought in nine newcomers to add depth to the Rams' 2502-26 roster.

The group features five true freshmen in Quinn Booth, Owen Hodgett, Bobby Lachance, Austin McNicholas and Alex Ondos and four transfers in grad student TJ Beaver, who skated for Saint Michael's, and sophomores Marko Giourof, Aidan O'Connell and Dimitri Voyatzis, who played for Curry, Stevenson and Nichols, respectively.

MORE READING: Men's Ice Hockey Brings in Nine for 2025-26

GEOGRPAHY 101
Suffolk's 33-man roster represents 13 states.

Eight Rams call the Bay State home with a quartet from New Jersey, a trio from California, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, respectively. Colorado and Michigan see two natives apiece, while Maryland, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas are all represented by one student-athlete each.

CLASS CATEGORIES
Suffolk's squad is well-balanced between experienced veterans and underclassmen. The bulk of the roster hails from the sophomore (10) and junior (11) classes with six seniors, five true freshmen and one grad student.

PUCK POSITIONS
When broken down by position, Suffolk has 19 forwards, 10 defensemen, one two-way, forward, defender and three netminders.

RAMS RINGLEADERS
Letters will stay put on the Suffolk men's ice hockey sweaters for the 2025-26 season as head coach Shawn McEachern has announced that Thomas Dempsey and Ryan Webb will return as co-captains.

The seniors are back in the roles for the second straight season. They are the second pair to serve back-to-back terms as co-captains since Olle Akermark and Devin Lowe held the title in two successive seasons from 2022 through 2024.

The duo is a part of a long tradition of Suffolk men's ice hockey captains dating back to when the program picked up after a hiatus in 1980-81 when James Tropsa led the blue-and-gold. Over 80 Rams have worn a letter at Suffolk University the last 45-plus years. 

MORE READING: Dempsey, Webb Return as Men's Ice Hockey Co-Captains

COACH'S BOX
Long-time NHLer Shawn McEachern begins his third season as the Rams head coach. Three years ago, the Stanley Cup Champion became the first-ever full-time head coach in Suffolk men's hockey history.

The fourth-year head coach will be aided by fourth-year assistants Steve Sheridan. Cam Walsh joined the fold as Goaltending Coach a year ago, while Cam Askew joined the staff as a first-year assistant coach this season. Cody Ferriero is back as well as a volunteer Strength & Conditioning Coach.

OPENING ACT

• The Rams are 11-13-1 in season debuts dating back to 1999.
• Suffolk defeated Salem State, 3-2, in overtime in game one a year ago to capture its first opening day triumph since 2020-21.
• The Rams will pull the curtain back on their schedule as the home team for the first time since 2023-24.
• Suffolk is 7-8-0 in front of its home crowd in the first game of the season.
• The blue-and-gold sports a 1-2-0 record in season openers in the Shawn McEachern era.
• Suffolk is 4-4-0 on the road in the first outing of the year.
• The blue-and-gold has never found the win column in game one at Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink, 0-2.

VIKINGS VIEW

• Salem State brings back 23 returners from last season's MASCAC semifinalist team that went 19-7-0 overall.
• The returners are highlighted by reigning MASCAC Player of the Year Landyn Greatorez, who assembled a 41-point line with 16 goals and 25 assists. 
• The Vikings also welcome back MASCAC Rookie of the Year James Tatro, who produced 15 goals and 18 assists in his first collegiate season. 
• Will Nepveu led SSU in net. He put together a 17-6-0 record in between the pipes behind a .934 save percentage and 2.47 GAA.  

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Suffolk, Salem State series is fairly new, with the Rams and Vikings meeting nine times over the last 11 years. 
• The Rams have won five games in a row over the Vikings to move to 5-2-2 all-time against SSU. 
• Suffolk defeated Salem State in overtime, 3-2, Nov. 2, 2024. 
• The Rams are unbeaten, 4-0-0, under Shawn McEachern's guidance.
• The blue-and-gold and Vikings have gone into overtime three times including the last meeting. 
• Suffolk is the only team to pick up a win when a game exceeds regulation with the other two OT outings ending in draws. 
• The last time Suffolk and Salem State went into overtime was the last meeting, Nov. 2, 2024, a 3-2 Rams' win.  
• At home, Suffolk is 3-1-1 versus SSU. 
• On the road, the Rams boast a 2-0-1 ledger against the Vikings. 
• Suffolk and SSU met on a neutral ice once, the first-ever meeting, Jan. 2, 2015. The Rams fell in that game, 4-1. 
• There has never been a shutout in a game between Suffolk and Salem State. 

MORE INFO: Suffolk vs. Salem State – All-Time Series 

STATS SHOWDOWN

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
The showdown with Salem State preps the blue-and-gold for its Conference of New England (CNE) campaign that opens at first-year program Roger Williams Friday, Nov. 7 at 5:00 p.m.