Northeastern Surges Past New Hampshire, 2-1
Freshman forward Nolan Stevens has game-winning goal and assist for Huskies

Freshman forward Nolan Stevens had the game-winning goal and an assist for the Huskies
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
3rd 2:02  UNH1-0 EV Kyle Smith (1)Matt Willows/4, Casey Thrush/4
3rd 3:22  NOE1-1 EV Ryan Rosenthal (3)John Stevens/2, Nolan Stevens/1
3rd 8:21  NOE2-1 EV GW Nolan Stevens (1)John Stevens/3, Mike Szmatula/2
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
New Hampshire  0011
Northeastern  0022
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
New Hampshire  8181036
Northeastern  1151733
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
New Hampshire (4-6-0)  0/4 3/6 0
Northeastern (1-8-1)  0/2 5/10 0
New Hampshire Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Adam Clark (L, 4-6-0)57:482 1151531
Empty Net2:120     
Northeastern Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Clay Witt (W, 1-3-0)60:001 818935

BOSTON, Mass. - The Northeastern men's ice hockey team (1-8-1, 1-4-1) potted a pair of third period goals and received 35 saves from redshirt senior Clay Witt to knock off New Hampshire (4-6-0, 1-3-0) and earn a split of the weekend series on Saturday night at Matthews Arena.

UNH scored two minutes into the final period before the Huskies responded with the game's final two goals. Nolan Stevens had a goal and an assist, including the eventual game-winning tally with 11:39 to play in regulation for his first collegiate goal. Ryan Rosenthal also scored for NU, while John Stevens add two assists. UNH, which outshot the Huskies 36-33, received 31 stops from Adam Clark in the loss.

Northeastern was perfect on the penalty kill for the first time this season, successfully killing off four minor penalties while going 0-of-2 on the man advantage and blocking 20 Wildcats shots.

The Huskies came out firing in the first period, outshooting UNH 11-8 and consistently peppering Clark in search of the game's first goal. The line of Kevin Roy, Dalen Hedges and Mike McMurtry had several scoring chances during the opening 20 minutes, including a one-timer from Roy to Hedges in the slot midway through the frame before Roy tried a quick wraparound later in the period that Clark just got a skate on.

At the other end, Witt was there to steer aside all eight shots he saw in the first period, including two during the lone New Hampshire power play late in the stanza. The NU defense also did its part with seven blocked shots.

UNH held a substantial edge in shots on goal during the second period at 18-5, but Witt stood his ground through the onslaught that included three New Hampshire power plays in the first eight minutes of the frame. The NU penalty killing unit, however, held the Wildcats to just five shots on goal during the three attempts on the man advantage.

New Hampshire nearly went up 1-0 with less than nine minutes to play in the second when Tyler Kelleher ripped a shot square off the right post during a two-on-one in transition. UNH had another odd-man rush with 5:14 left as Matt Willows elected to shoot from the left side, but Witt was there to make the save.

Two of Northeastern's best opportunities of the frame came when John Stevens found his brother, Nolan Stevens, with a centering pass in the slot, but Clark went post to post to make the stop. Mike Szmatula had a chance of his own with 3:28 left in the period when he flew out from behind the net before sending a wrister off the crossbar.

Both teams traded chances in the opening minutes of the third period, with UNH taking a 1-0 lead two minutes in before Northeastern answered just 1:20 later. Kyle Smith drew first blood 2:02 into the period when Kyle Smith took a feed from Willows before Smith sent a backhand over the blocker of Witt for the score.

Northeastern struck back soon after when Rosenthal gathered a rebound off a shot from John Stevens, and buried it past Clark for Rosenthal's third of the season.

Seconds after a UNH penalty had expired, NU took its first lead of the weekend with crisp passing in the attacking zone as Mike Szmatula dumped a puck up to John Stevens before Stevens found Nolan Stevens alone in the slot for a one-timer that beat Clark under the glove for Stevens' first collegiate tally.

New Hampshire would press in the final minutes of the contest, and pulled Clark in favor of the extra skater with two minutes to play in regulation, but the Northeastern was able to buckle down and hold UNH to just one shot on goal in the final two minutes of the game.

Northeastern will be back in action on Friday when the Huskies travel to Lawler Arena for a 7 p.m. matchup with Merrimack.

Season tickets, as well as individual game tickets, are available for men's ice hockey and can be purchased by visiting GoNU.com/tickets. In addition, the student sale for the 2015 Beanpot will take place on Saturday, January 17, 2015 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Matthews Arena lobby. Please contact the Ticket Office by calling 617-373-4700 or emailing huskytix@neu.edu with any questions.

For complete coverage of Northeastern and Northeastern hockey, follow us on Facebook (Northeastern and Northeastern Men's Ice Hockey) and Twitter (@GoNUathletics and @GoNUmhockey). Check out exclusive videos on GoNUxstream and behind-the-scenes content on Instagram (GoNUathletics).