Hockey Defeats Salve Regina to Pick Up First Conference Win

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. – Two goals by junior forward Kevin Obssuth (Chester, N.J.) led the way for Wentworth, as the Leopards picked up their first conference win of the season, defeating Salve Regina University 3-2 on the road Saturday evening.
 
THE BASICS: 

RECORDS:  WIT (2-4-1, 1-3-1 CCC); SRU: (4-3-0, 4-2-0 CCC) 
SHOTS:  WIT: 19; SRU: 34  
PENALTIES/MINUTES:  WIT: 6/20; SRU: 9/26 
POWER PLAYS:  WIT: 0 for 6; SRU: 1 for 5  
GOALIE SAVES:  WIT – Ryan Bonnvie, 32; SRU – Levi Mitchell, 16 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• The Seahawks had several opportunities in the opening minutes of the game, but senior goaltender Ryan Bonnvie (Falmouth, Maine) made four saves in the first six minutes of action to hold them off. Shortly after, Wentworth received the first power play chance of the game but were unable to capitalize.
• With about six minutes to go in the opening period, a scramble in front of the net led to a penalty shot for the Leopards after a Salve Regina player closed their hand on the puck in the crease. Obssuth took the shot for Wentworth and beat Seahawks goaltender Levi Mitchell stick side to give the Leopards a 1-0 lead, picking up his first goal as a Leopard in the process.
• Just 37 seconds later, Obssuth picked up his second goal. A nice keep in on the blue line by sophomore forward Josh Faussett (Okemos, Mich.) helped set up the play, then junior forward Sam Milnes (Middleton, R.I.) sent a pass in front to Obssuth, who buried a one-timer to extend the Wentworth lead to two going into the first intermission.
• An early power play for the Leopards was killed off by Salve Regina, but minutes later the Leopards extended their lead to three, as Milnes picked up his second goal of the season, with Obssuth picking up the assist after setting it up with a cross ice pass.
• Midway through the period, Wentworth had a chance to pull away when set up with a 5-on-3 advantage, but Salve Regina successfully killed off the two-man advantage to keep their deficit at three. The Leopards took a penalty of their own shortly after and managed to kill it, but seconds after their penalty had ended, the Seahawks got on the board with a goal from Damon Zimmer. Then just over a minute later, with one minute remaining in the second period, Salve Regina struck again to get within a goal, with Tyler Carangelo this time providing the goal to get within a 3-2 score heading into the third.
• Two penalties in the first four minute of the third put the Leopards in a tough spot, but their penalty kill came through once again as they held on to their one goal lead. The Leopards received a power play just past the halfway point of the third, but took a penalty of their own shortly after to negate their man advantage. Still down a goal in the final minutes, the Seahawks pulled their goalie for an extra skater in an effort to tie, but multiple blocked shots by the Leopards helped finish things off as they held on for a 3-2 victory.

SERIES NOTES:

• This was the 41^st all-time meeting for the two teams, with Wentworth now holding a series lead of 28-10-3.

NEXT UP: 

• The Leopards are back on the road Saturday, Nov. 27, as they travel to Brunswick, Maine to take on Colby College in the Bowdoin/Colby Face-Off Tournament. Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

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