SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Worcester State University men's ice hockey team suffered a 5-3 defeat to Western New England University on Thursday evening in non-conference action at the Olympia Ice Center.

With the loss, the Lancers drop their third consecutive contest and fall to 5-5-0 overall on the season. Western New England improves to 2-10-0 overall.

Senior Mike Moran (Milford, Mass.) opened the scoring for the visitors just 3:07 into the game, putting the Lancers ahead 1-0 on his team-leading eighth goal of the season. Linemates Mitch Purdie (Peterborough, Ont.) and Matthew Manning (Novi, Mich.) assisted on the tally.

The Lancers were unable to take their lead to the locker room however, as Golden Bear goals from Connor Geshan and Steve Beck late in the period had Western New England ahead 2-1 after one period.

Sophomore Kyle Hayter (Helena, Mont.) evened the score for Worcester State 3:45 into the second period when he potted his first goal of the season. Sophomore Ryan James (Katy, Texas) and freshman Max Roth (Wilmette, Ill.) picked up helpers on the equalizer, but the Golden Bears would score three goals in the span of under five minutes in response, taking a 5-2 advantage into the second intermission.

Worcester State's Nick Patullo (Doylestown, Pa.) scored a goal off assists from Tim Drevitch (Oxford, N.J.) and Aidan Conlon (Lowell, Mass.) right before the game's final horn, but the goal proved too little too late as the Golden Bears closed out the 5-3 victory. 

Lancer freshman goalkeeper Brendan Bishop (Charlotte, N.C.) got the loss in his first collegiate game, recording 22 saves on 27 Golden Bear shots. Kyle Carducci got the win for Western New England with 32 stops.

Next up for the Lancers, they will close out the 2018 calendar year on Tuesday evening with a home contest against Stonehill. Puck drop against the Skyhawks is slated for 7 p.m.

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