DURHAM, N.H. - Kevin Goumas (Long Beach, N.Y.) and Nick Sorkin (Rockville, Md.) both recorded a goal and an assist to lead the University of New Hampshire men's ice hockey team to Tuesday night's 4-2 non-conference victory against Brown University at the Whittemore Center.
UNH extended its winning streak to three games to improve to 4-5-1 overall while Brown fell to 3-3-1.
Grayson Downing (Abbottsford, British Columbia) and Jeff Silengo (Madison, Conn.) scored the other goals for UNH, which had 10 skaters record at least one point. Jeff Wyer (Reading, Mass.) recorded 10 of his 24 saves in the third period. Brown goalie Marco De Filippo stopped 37 shots overall, including 13 in the first period and 15 in the second.
The Wildcats skated to a 2-1 lead through a penalty-free first period. Brown nearly struck first in the fourth minute when Kyle Quick's slapshot from the left point was redirected in the slot by Matt Lorito off the pipe. The Bears did take the 1-0 lead at 8:10. Massimo Lamacchia's initial shot from the low slot sailed wide left of the cage. Mark Naclerio corralled the puck behind the net and slipped a pass to the right doorstep, where Lamacchia quickly snapped a shot into the net. Zack Pryzbek was also credited with an assist.
UNH scored goals 2:23 apart to transform a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead of 2-1. From the high slot, Eric Knodel (West Chester, Pa.) sent a pass low to Sorkin and his wrister was stopped by De Filippo. Sorkin gathered the rebound, however, and lifted the puck into the open left side of the net to level the score, 1-1, at 11:06. Goumas also earned an assist on Sorkin's fifth goal of the year.
The 'Cats took a lead they would not relinquish on Downing's tally at 13:29. Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) initiated the scoring sequence with a pass from the slot to Dalton Speelman (San Jose, Calif.) in the left corner. Speelman threw the puck in front and Downing chipped a shot into the net for his fifth goal of the season.
New Hampshire took that 2-1 lead and 15-8 shot advantage into the second period.
The Wildcats went on the first power play of the game at 1:42 and sustained pressure in the offensive zone but De Filippo turned aside all four shots to keep the Bears within one goal. He also stoned Goumas in the eighth minute on his one-timer from close range on the right wing.
With seven minutes left in the middle frame, Matt Willows (Congers, N.Y.) raced along the right boards and, from the faceoff dot, made a perpendicular cut to the slot, where he lifted a backhand wide left.
UNH scored with 13 seconds remaining in the second period to build a 3-1 lead. The initial shot by Trevor van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) was blocked by a defenseman but the puck went directly to the stick of Silengo, who snapped a shot into the upper-right corner. Kyle Smith (Lumberton, N.J.) was also credited with an assist.
Midway through the third period, a quick Brown attack in transition produced a chance for Mark Naclerio in the slot, but Wyer made the leg pad save and a teammate cleared the rebound from the low slot. Moments later, Dave Middleton's shot from the slot sailed through traffic and handcuffed Wyer, who then batted the loose puck from the crease.
Goumas recorded his second point of the night when he gave UNH a 4-1 lead at 11:11 on a shot from the right faceoff dot into the upper-right corner. Willows and Sorkin set up the goal.
The Bears went on their first - and only -- power play of the game at 15:34. One minute later, Matt Lorito's one-timer from the slot went wide right and Brown called time out at 16:42. The visitors scored four seconds after the man advantage expired to trim the deficit to 4-2 at 17:38. From the left boards, Lamacchia centered the puck to Lorito and his writster found the upper-right corner.
Brown pulled De Filippo for an extra skater with 1:22 remaining in regulation but Wyer and the 'Cats held the Bears at bay the rest of the way to preserve the victory.
New Hampshire returns to action this weekend for a home-and-home series against Northeastern University. The teams face off at NU's Matthews Arena on Nov. 15 and at UNH's Whittemore Center on the 16th. Both games start at 7 p.m.