HARRISVILLE, R.I. – Junior Brett Jackson's (Larchmont, N.Y.) goal at 1:41 of overtime propelled the Nichols College men's ice hockey team to the 2014 ECAC Northeast Championship as the Bison ended Wentworth Institute of Technology's two-year run of conference championships with a 3-2 win.
Nichols, which won its first conference title since the 2009 season (when it defeated the Leopards as well), improves to 18-6-3 and earns the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. The pairings for the 11-team tournament will be announced tomorrow (Sunday) night). Wentworth sees its season come to a close with a 12-13-2 record.
The Leopards drew first blood at the 6:00 mark of the opening stanza when senior Andrew Yarber (Livonia, Mich.) put hoe a rebound of a sophomore Jake Diamond (Lakewood, Colo.) shot. Nichols would hit the post twice in the period – including once while on a five-minute power play – but could not get the equalizer past sophomore Joel Miller (Calgary, Alta.). Wentworth held a 9-7 shot advantage after the first 20:00.
At the 12:28 mark junior Jackson won a faceoff and fed freshman Mike Weaver (Wakefield, Mass.), beating Miller to tie the game at 12:32. Both teams would have chances to take the lead before the end of the second, however Miller and his counterpart, sophomore Alex Larson (Madison, Ala.) kept the score even at a goal apiece. Nichols held a 19-10 shot advantage in the second stanza.
The Bison took a 2-1 lead at the 3:18 mark of the third period as sophomore Paul Prescott (Oakdale, Minn.) scored from classmate Tyler Beasley (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior Joe Sposit (Cleveland, Ohio). Wentworth tied the game less than three minutes later when Yarber fed junior Jordan Bourgonje (Spruce Grove, Alta.), who tied the score with just under 14 minutes left.
A flurry of shots by both teams ensued, including each team hitting the post once. With less than 30 seconds left in regulation, senior Greg Strootman (Ashton, Pa.) blocked a freshman Matthew Heise (Kirkland, Que.) shot. On the rebound, the Bison would control the puck and send a shot wide just before time expired. Wentworth held a 13-9 shot advantage in the third period.
The Leopards had a chance early in the extra session when junior Kevin Crowe (Galloway, N.J. put a shot on net, which was saved by Larson. After Bourgonje won a faceoff, Yarber had a pair of attempts blocked and senior Lawton McCracken (Colborne, Ont.) had his bid stopped by Larson.
After a pair of shots went wide for the Bison, Strootman threw the puck at the net from the right wing boards. The rebound came out to Jackson, who tucked the puck in between the left post and Miller's left pad, giving the Bison the crown.
Larson made 32 saves for the Bison while Miller turned aside 34 for the Leopards, who were outshot by a 37-34 margin.
Jackson was named the Most Outstanding Player of the ECAC Northeast Tournament and was joined by teammates freshman Sean Swansen (Salem, N.H.) and Larson. Yarber was also named to the all-tournament team after a two-goal, one-assist performance in two games. Curry's Brad Devereaux and Johnson & Wales' Cody Sarmiento rounded out the all-tournament team.
