Boston, MA – CMCC Men's Hockey returned to the ice with a 4-2 victory on the road against the Wentworth Institute of Technology at the Murphy Memorial Skating Rink. The #7 ranked Mustangs scored the first three goals of the game and held off the #13 ranked Panthers to improve to 15-3-0 on the season. Colby Pawson scored twice, including the game-winner, while Cam Wickens made 36 saves in net.
Central Maine looked like a team well-rested and ready to get back on the ice after their month-long break. They came out fast in the first period with 24 shots on target. Dylan Blue put the Mustangs ahead 1-0 at the 6:54 mark with his 15th goal of the season, on a two-on-oh pass from Aaron Higgins That moved him into second on the team in tallies behind leading-scorer Higgins. Max Meserve picked up the secondary assist on the goal.
Pawson scored his first of two straight goals 13:16 into the opening frame. Zach Mitton set him up to make it 2-0 on his sixth goal of the campaign. The Oakland, ME native's seventh of the year came just 1:11 into the second on an assist by Cody Dionne. A 3-0 lead would prove to be enough but not before WIT made it interesting.
Brett Handley pulled one back for the team out of the NECHA Colonial South Division, just passed the midway point of the hockey game with 9:50 remaining. Sam Foley responded less than two minutes later to restore the three-goal cushion. He hammered home his customary rebound tally after Blue's initial shot was stopped. Higgins also picked up his second assist of the game. However, less than two minutes after that, it was back to a two-goal lead with a shot from Graham Dalton making it 4-2 on an assist from Handley.
Neither team would find the back of the net in the third period. CMCC looked to play a little more defensive minded to protect its lead, holding the Panthers to 11 shots while they attempted a comeback. Overall, the Mustangs had a 52-38 edge in shots. Wickens improved to 11-3-0 on the year with the win while Jack Davies made 48 saves in the loss for Wentworth. Each team only had one power play opportunity with three matching penalties a piece and six roughing calls. The two nationally ranked foes square off again in Auburn on Sunday, January 25th.
Up next, Central Maine returns to NECHA Colonial North play with a visit across the bridge to crosstown rival Bates College on Wednesday, January 21st. Puck drop between the Bobcats and Mustangs at Underhill Arena is scheduled for 6:45 pm.
