Bates College Men's Ice Hockey

Heading into the final regular season game of the year, the message was clear for Bates: win and keep playing, or lose and be done. Both Endicott and Bates entered the final game with 9 points, battling for the fourth and final seed in the American East Conference.

In front of a raucous crowd in Underhill Arena, Bates fell down 2-0 to Endicott in the first period before Miles Davee '11 cut the deficit in half on the power play after a nice feed from Cam Chaput '12. Endicott took a 2-1 lead to the locker rooms after 1 period, but Bates woke up in time for the second period.

Cam Chaput tied the score 2-2 just 1:59 into the second period with another power play goal for the Bobcats. Jared Quenzel '13 and Wes Chaput '10 assisted on the goal, the assist being Wes Chaput's 150th career point as a Bobcat.

Endicott answered with a power play goal of their own to regain a 3-2 lead, but Garrett Kopeski '11 responded 61 seconds later on another Bobcat power play. After Cam Chaput won a faceoff directly back to Kopeski, he launched a slapshot that both evened the score and knocked the water bottle off the net.

Davee scored again with assists from both Chaput brothers, and then Wes Chaput finally put his name in the scoring column on a power play goal from Davee and Cam Chaput. The power play unit was a perfect 4-4 in their first four tries, and 4-6 overall in the game. Cam Chaput scored his second goal of the game before the second period ended to put Bates up 6-3 going into the second intermission.

Wes Chaput, not to be outdone by each of his linemates with multi-goal games, scored his second goal of the night early in the third period to give Bates their fifth consecutive unanswered goal.

Endicott struck once more to bring the game to 7-4, but they would get no closer.

Davee finished his hat trick in style with a backdoor tip-in off a slick feed from Cam Chaput. It was Davee's second hat trick of the year and fourth point of the game.

Wes Chaput also had four points with two goals and two assists. Cam Chaput had a career game with 2 goals and 5 assists for a total of 7 points. Kopeski had a goal and an assist for two points, and Quenzel, Kopeski's defensive partner, had two assists.

Joe Dell'Erario '13 (4-2, 3.88 GAA) started in net for the Bobcats and was a solid last line of defense. Dell'Erario won his fourth game of the season.

It was the final home game ever for a number of Bates players, including: senior defensemen Billy Kenny, Paul Stanton, and Dan Roop, senior forwards Wes Chaput and Sam Boyer, as well junior forward Miles Davee, and sophomore forward Cam Chaput. All seven players will leave Bates having won NECHA regular season and playoff championships.

As of last night's game, Wes Chaput leads the NECHA with 32 league points, Cam Chaput is second with 30 points, and Miles Davee is third with 28 points.

Wes Chaput leads the NECHA with 18 league goals, and Miles Davee is fourth in goals with 13.

Cam Chaput leads the NECHA with 22 league assists, Miles Davee is second with 15 assists, and Wes Chaput is fourth with 14 assists.

Wes (24 goals, 17 assists, 41 points) and Cam (13 goals, 28 assists, 41 points) Chaput each averaged 2.73 points per game this season. The brothers tied with each other for the 12th highest point per game rate in the entire ACHA, with no player closer than New Jersey holding a better scoring pace.

Bates will be the #4 seed in the American East Conference for the NECHA playoffs and will face the #1 seed of the American West Conference in the first round, either UMass or UConn. As of today, no game date has been scheduled.

Final score: Bates College 8, Endicott College 4
Scoring:
1st period / 18:30 - M. Davee (14) from C. Chaput, G. Kopeski
2nd period / 1:59 - C. Chaput (12) from W. Chaput, J. Quenzel
2nd period / 5:04 - G. Kopeski (4) from C. Chaput
2nd period / 7:14 - M. Davee (15) from W. Chaput, C. Chaput
2nd period / 11:14 - W. Chaput (23) from M. Davee, C. Chaput
2nd period / 18:36 - C. Chaput (13) from J. Quenzel
3rd period / 2:48 - W. Chaput (24)
3rd period / 12:05 - M. Davee (16) from C. Chaput