Beavers Move Within A Point Of First-Place UMass-Boston Heading Into Saturday's Finale

BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Charlie Ackerman (Bradenton, Fla.) scored twice and classmate Matt McMorrow (Pearl River, N.Y.) contributed a career-high three assists to help No. 8 USCHO.com/No. 9 D3hockey.com Babson College fend off visiting Saint Anselm College, 3-1, in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action on Friday night at the Babson Skating Center.

With its sixth win in the last seven games, Babson is now 17-5-2 overall and 13-3-1 in league play, just one point behind first-place UMass-Boston entering Saturday's regular-season finale. Saint Anselm drops to 11-10-3 overall and 6-8-3 in the NEHC.

Senior Jared Wiedemann (Pembroke, Mass.) also scored for the Beavers, who got assists from classmate Jimmy Magrath (Medfield, Mass.) and sophomores Josh Casper (Lake Forest, Ill.) and Matt Holtshouser (Londonderry, N.H.). Senior goaltender Jamie Murray (Scituate, Mass.) also returned the lineup and made 18 saves to earn the 60th victory of his career.

Junior Nick Leonard (Methuen, Mass.) scored the Hawks lone goal, while juniors Brendon Kerrigan (Boston, Mass.) and Peter Sikalis (Acton, Mass.) each recorded an assist. Sophomore netminder Shane Joyce (Pemborke, Mass.) made 34 saves in the loss.

Both teams killed off a first-period penalty and Saint Anselm made the most of its three shots on goal when Leonard tipped home a shot by Sikalis for his seventh goal of the year for a 1-0 lead at the 14:42 mark.  The Green and White wasted little time pulling even though, as Ackerman converted a feed from McMorrow on a 2-on-1 for his 10th goal of the season at 3:19 of the second period.

Babson outshot the Hawks 15-11 in the second period, but Murray was forced to make six saves following a tripping penalty at the 10:56 mark. He also made a pair of saves late in the period with the teams playing 4-on-4 to keep the game deadlocked heading to the third period.

Ackerman notched his team-leading 11th goal of the season 3:30 after intermission as his shot off a pass from McMorrow beat Joyce and deflected off the post and in for a 2-1 lead. He had a chance to record his first career hat trick with a penalty shot at the 13:23 mark, but Joyce made a blocker save to keep Saint Anselm within one. Wiedemann added an insurance goal, his first of the year, with a blast from the left point that beat Joyce over the shoulder for a 3-1 advantage with 1:34 to go in the contest.

The Green and White went 1-for-3 on the power play and finished with a 53-30 edge in face-offs.

The Hawks, who were outshot 37-19, finished 0-for-4 on the power play.

Both teams conclude the regular season on Saturday at 4 p.m. as Babson hosts New England College, while Saint Anselm visits UMass-Boston.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are 39-20-4 all-time against Saint Anselm and have won 15 of their last 20 games against the Hawks.
• Friday's victory was the first for Babson when allowing the first goal of the game.
• Ackerman (2-2-4) and McMorrow (1-4-5) have combined for nine points over the last two games.
• Babson is 16-1-1 on the year when scoring at least three goals.