MIDDLETOWN, CT.- The Wesleyan men's hockey team opened the 2022-23 season with a win at Spurrier-Snyder Rink on Friday night. The Cardinals defeated the Connecticut College Camels 3-0 behind two goals from senior forward Go Uemura '23. The Cardinals open the season 1-0 for the 3^rd time in the past four seasons. Connecticut College opens their season with a loss, moving to 0-1.

The Camels have gotten the better of the Cardinals in the teams' history, holding a 42-27-5 record against Wesleyan. In their last eight meetings it has been even with each team taking four games apiece counting Friday night's Wesleyan victory. The two teams met last season, with the Camels scraping out a 2-1 win over the Cardinals, scoring two quick goals then holding on over the final two periods.

The first period had a few chances from both sides, but it was Wesleyan who controlled the first 20 minutes of action. Wesleyan outshot the Camels by a wide margin, getting 10 shots on goal but the Camels' Cam Fernandez turned them all away to head into the first intermission tied at zero.

Wesleyan ramped up the offensive pressure even more in the 2^nd period. After the Camels opened the period with a shot on goal, the Cardinals reeled off the next six shots on goal over the next four minutes before finally putting through their first goal of the season halfway through the period. The Cards used a counterattack after two Camels' shots on goal. Wiggle Kerbrat '23 gathered the puck and sent out a long outlet pass to Colin Cobb '23 who gave it back to him. Kerbrat put it towards the net where Go Uemura tapped it past Fernandez to make it 1-0 Cardinals.

After a flurry of saves from Erik Voloshin '24 over the ensuing six minutes, the Cardinals responded with goal number two of the evening. Cobb was once again a facilitator, feeding Emmet Powell '23 in the slot who ripped a shot as he fell to the ice. The shot was redirected by Kerbrat right in front of the net for his first goal of 2022-23. The Camels ended the 2^nd period with four more shots on goal over the final 2:30, but Voloshin was a wall in net.

The third period saw a flurry of scoring chances for both NESCAC schools, however it was once again Wesleyan who was the only team to find the back of the net. They netted their third and final goal of the game on an empty netter as Connecticut College pulled the goalie late, hoping to trim into the lead. Powell sent the puck the length of the ice, finding Cobb who circled around the net setting up Uemura for his second goal of the game.

Wesleyan had 32 shots on goal to Connecticut College's 23. Voloshin made 23 saves in the opener, Fernandez had 29. Uemura had two goals in the opener, while Cobb contributed a career-high three assists. Powell tied a career-high with two assists, Kerbrat added a goal and an assist while winning 10 of 15 faceoffs.

Wesleyan returns to Spurrier-Snyder Rink Saturday November 19^th where they will play host to another NESCAC school in Tufts who comes off an opening night loss to Trinity, 10-3.