Ice Hawks Blanked By Nichols

HARRISVILLE, R.I. - The Nichols College men's ice hockey team remained undefeated in ECAC Northeast play with a 3-0 win over Becker Sunday evening at June Rockwell Levy Rink. Senior goaltender Keith Fink (Easton, Md.) made 19 saves in his first shutout of the season. The Bison improve to 9-1-0 overall and 6-0-0 in conference action. The Hawks dip to 2-7-0 and 1-4-0 in the league.

Junior forward Zeke Costello (Merrimac, Mass.) factored in all three goals, picking up three assists, while sophomores Matt Sayer (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Billy Sabia (Ridgefield, Conn.) each had a goal and an assist.

Eric Cremer (Chelsea, Mich.) put Nichols on the board with a power-play goal at 10:15 of the first period, his fourth goal of the season. The junior forward knocked home a rebound that was tipped over from Costello, off a blast from the point by first-year forward Zach Hendrickson (Farmingdale, N.Y.).

The score remained 1-0 until midway through the third period when Sayer and Sabia connected on a two-on-one, with Sayer finding Sabia on the right before sliding the pass back just over the goal line for his fourth goal of the season at 11:30.

Sayer returned the favor seven minutes later, finding Sabia at the right post for the tip-in and three-goal cushion at 18:51. The tally marked the first for Sabia on the season.

Fink stopped seven shots in the first and third periods, and five in the middle frame for his second career shutout. Becker freshman netminder Jake Rosenthal (Wantagh, N.Y.) shouldered the loss with 33 saves.

Nichols travels to Fitchburg State for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday before wrapping up the first half of the season with an 8:30 p.m. home game against Southern New Hampshire on Sunday, December 14. Becker hosts Plymouth State Wednesday at 7:55 p.m.