WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State men's ice hockey team scored four unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead in the second period, but suffered a 6-5 defeat to Nichols College in the season opener for both teams.

The game was part of the Worcester Cup being played this weekend at Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center. The two teams will wait to see who they will play when the event continues on Sunday afternoon.

Bridgham Neuhold (Edmond, Okla.) scored the first two goals of his collegiate career, including the first goal of the season for the Lancers, who came from a 3-0 deficit with two goals in the first period and the first two of the second period.

Kevin Drevitch (Oxford, N.J.) and Deiter Stange (Niles, Ill.) had two assists apiece and senior Nick Pennucci (Worcester, Mass.) had a goal and an assist. His tally was a shorthanded effort that pulled the Lancers to within a goal with three and a half minutes remaining in the first period.

Nichols struck back with a goal late in the second period and the opening two of the third. Kaiden Scott (Romulus, Mich.) potted the eventual game-winner at the 15:07 mark of the third to make it 6-4 Nichols.

Petr Miko (Zlin, Czech Republic) scored twice for the Bison, and Justin Perron (Thetford Mines, Quebec) had two assists. Korbinian Lutz (Munchen, Germany) earned the victory, making 14 saves on 15 shots in just over a half hour of action.

A strike from Neuhold at 7:29 of the second gave the Lancers a 4-3 advantage after Martin Dlugolinsky (Stara Lubovna, Slovakia) had tied the game three minutes into the period with his first collegiate goal.

Max Tucker (Kalamazoo, Mich.) also scored his first collegiate goal, pulling the Lancers back within one at 17:04 of the third.

Junior Nevin Tardiff (Dunstable, Mass.) made 41 saves in between the pipes for the Lancers, who will await their opponent from tonight's second game between Assumption and Anna Maria.