Career-high 61 saves for Wojtala in Seahawks victory

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Salve Regina University netted five unanswered goals from the 1st period into the 2nd and then held on for a 6-4 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's ice hockey decision against the University of New England on Saturday night (Nov. 18) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

Only one of the game's scores came at even strength. The Seahawks (6-1, 5-1 CCC) -- winners of five in-a-row -- successfully cashed in on four power-play opportunities (including two 5-on-3) and added an empty-net 5-on-6 to seal it. The Nor'easters (2-3-1, 2-3-1 CCC) got two on the man-advantage, and two with an extra skater (one delayed penalty).

UNE got on the board first with a tally by Tyler Seltenreich at the 4:38 mark of the opening period, but Danny Eruzione answered for SRU just 53 seconds later. When a string of UNE penalties were booked around the middle of the frame, the Seahawks needed only 69 seconds to pocket three goals and take a 4-1 lead. Jack Billings had two of them, and Nick Cyr one.

The Nor'easters out-shot Salve by an 18-11 margin during the initial stanza.

That disparity grew to 42-14 in the 2nd, even though Billings completed his hat trick to make it 5-1 in favor of the Seahawks before UNE split the deficit in half (5-3). Tucker Ross and Dylan Bengtson put the puck in the back of the net for the hosts in the period.

The Nor'easters continued to apply the majority of the pressure in the 3rd, and drew within one (5-4) inside the final two minutes on a score by Brett Mecrones. But Shaun Patry tossed one at an open cage 20 seconds later to pad the cushion.

Blake Wojtala did just enough to secure the result in goal for Salve Regina, amassing a career-high 61 saves.

Billings posted a four-point night for the visitors, with three points apiece coming out of Cyr, Pat Thompson, and Vincenzo Renda.