BOSTON – Suffolk men's ice hockey returns to the ice this weekend as part of the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic, opening tournament play against Amherst on Friday, Jan. 2 at 3:30 p.m. Pending results, the Rams will take on either the host Plattsburgh State or Wesleyan Saturday, Jan. 3.
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 Facebook, Instagram and X. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.
LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk men's ice hockey saw six different players provide one goal as the Rams handled Conference of New England (CNE) foe Johnson & Wales, 6-0, Saturday to wrap up first semester action.
MORE READING: Men's Ice Hockey Takes Care of JWU, 6-0, in First Semester Finale
RAMS RUNDOWN
- Suffolk enters the weekend at 5-3-1 overall following a 6-0 shutout win over JWU on Dec. 6
- Nolan Leonard leads the Rams with 11 points (3g, 8a) and is riding a five-game point streak into the tournament.
- Marko Giourof has found the net six times, adding four assists for ten points.
- Daniel McKiernan has produced nine points, including two power play strikes as Bobby Lachance (4g, 3a) has chipped in seven points, three of which have come on the man advantage.
- Austin McNicholas has compiled a 5-3-1 record, 2.01 goals against average, and a .899 save percentage in his nine starts.
- Suffolk leans on its strong special team play as it operates at a 30.3 percent clip on the power play and is successful 93.9 percent of the time on the penalty kill.
MAMMOTH MATCHUP
- Amherst enters tournament play at 3-4-1 overall.
- Josh Burke leads the Mammoths with eight points (4g, 4a).
- Oliver Flynn matches the team-best four goals to go along with three assists.
- Matt Vander Vort has chipped in five points (2g, 3a), while Zach Kesse rounds out the scoring unit with four points (2g,2a).
- Vincent Lamberti has started six games in net, posting a 2-3-1 record, 1.85 GAA, and a .926 save percentage.
INSIDE THE SERIES
- Friday's contest marks the first meeting between the two programs.
CARDINALS CATCH-UP
- Plattsburgh enters the weekend at 6-4-0 and is coming off three straight overtime victories prior to the holiday break.
- Aaron Catron serves as the lead attacker with three goals and seven assists for 10 points, including four power play tallies.
- Gabriel Filion and Jake Sacratini own identical stat lines, each sitting on three goals and six assists.
- Lonan Bulger is a playmaking threat from the blue line with seven assists on the year.
- Beau lane serves as the lead goaltender, sporting a 2.55 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
INSIDE THE SERIES
- A potential Saturday matchup would be the first meeting between the Rams and Cardinals.
CARDINALS CHALLENGE
- Wesleyan comes into the Winter Classic at 2-5-0 overall.
- Danny Markham (2g, 2a) and Ethan Davison (4a) lead the charge offensively for the Cardinals.
- Andrew Haxton, Owen Mahar, and Jack Microtool each have one goal and two assists for three points.
- Patrick McDevitt has appeared in three contests and owns a .885 save percentage while Ethan Fehrenbaker recorded 39 saves and a .975 save percentage in his lone start of the season.
INSIDE THE SERIES
- Suffolk holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series versus the Cardinals.
- The Rams earned a 4-2 victory in the most recent meeting on Dec. 1, 2024.
- The programs first met on neutral ice on Jan 3, 2015.
MORE INFO: Suffolk vs. Wesleyan – All-Time Series
STATS SHOWDOWN
SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
Suffolk resumes conference play with a midweek road matchup at Roger Williams on Tuesday, Jan 6, with puck drop set for 6:00 p.m.