Wolves NCDC take on Mercer Chiefs in Physical Showdown

Hamilton Township, NJ — The West Chester Wolves faced off against the Mercer Chiefs at Ice Land Skating Center on Saturday, with the hosts ultimately taking a hard-fought 4-2 victory. The game, defined by physical play and numerous penalties, showcased high-intensity action from start to finish, with both teams’ penalty boxes staying busy.

Mercer opened the scoring just 1:44 into the first period with a goal from Nicholas Rockey, assisted by Justin Ouellet and Justin Thibault. The Wolves, determined not to fall behind, responded at 3:10, with Emil Szepesi finding the back of the net, assisted by Owen Norman and Charles Becnel. With the game tied at 1-1 after the first, both teams displayed disciplined defense, leaving the outcome uncertain heading into the second period.

The Chiefs reclaimed the lead early in the second, as David VanIterson scored just over a minute in, assisted by Jack Terhaar and Zachary Brady. While the Wolves battled hard to even the score, the period was marred by a wave of penalties. A series of altercations at 18:07 led to multiple roughing, face mask, and fighting calls, culminating in game misconducts for both the Wolves’ Liam O'Donoghue and the Chiefs’ Gregory Diamond. The Wolves incurred 58 penalty minutes in total, with Mercer close behind at 46 minutes.

In the third period, the Wolves kept pressing and managed to close the gap, making it 3-2 at 15:20. Philip Gamper scored with assists from Connor Stokes and Reed Richeson. However, the Chiefs held firm defensively and clinched the game with an empty-net goal from William Filteau with less than a minute remaining.

Wolves goaltender Lorenzo Rossi stood tall despite the loss, stopping 33 of 36 shots. His counterpart, Ben Skowronek, turned aside 27 of the Wolves’ attempts to secure the win.