SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The visiting Salve Regina men's ice hockey team didn't let history get in the way as the Seahawks snapped a four-game skid to Western New England and advanced to the ECAC Northeast semifinals for the first time since the 2001-02 season with an 8-4 win at Smead Arena.

The Seahawks improve to 9-13-3 on the year while Western New England ends its season at 11-15,

The Golden Bears took an early lead on their first power play chance as sophomore Brandon Stroud (Clarksville, In.) got the puck past freshman goalie David Chiokadze (Langhorne, Pa.).  The lead would be short lived and the only one of the game for Western New England as the Seahawks scored on two-straight power plays.

Junior David Watkins (Natick, Mass.) tied the game at 7:11 took a pass from freshmen Peter Gintoli (Monroe, Conn.) and Zakerie Thompson (Rochester, Mich.). Freshman Cameron Gaudet (Burlington, Mass.) pushed the Salve Regina lead to 2-1 as he took a pass from Gintoli and sophomore John Scorcia (Hudson, Fla.) on the ensuing power play.

The Golden Bears tied the game just two minutes into the second period as junior Alan Martin (Monson, Mass.) sent the puck past Chiokadza but the Seahawks came right back. Sophomore Michael Naso (Londonberry, N.H.) got the puck from Barr and gave Salve Regina 3-2 lead 2:33 into the second period. After a shot from the Golden Bears was saved by Chiokadza, the goalie sent the puck to center ice for Gintoli who flipped it to Scorcia to put the Seahawks up 4-2 5:08 into the second period.

Sophomore Michal Darrar (Monroe Township, N.J.) cut into the Salve Regina lead at 14:57 but once again the Seahawks had an answer as freshman Alec Butler (Marlborough, Mass.) took a pass from freshman Marc Biggs (Plano, Texas) and Gintoli, his third assist of the game to close out the second period, 5-3.

Martin found the net for the second and final time of the game as he made it a one-goal game once again 8:21 into the third period. As they had all game, the Seahawks got a redemption goal as Gaudet found the net for the second time off a pass from Naso and freshman Lucas Sousa (Billerica, Mass.) to put the Seahawks up, 6-4.

Naso scored his second of the game with 7:08 to play to give Salve Regina  7-4 lead before Gaudet completed his second hat trick of the season with an empty netter with just 1:17 left to play.

The Seahawks fended off the Golden Bears in the final 1:17 of action to come away with the 8-4 quarterfinal victory.

Chiokadze made 35 saves in the victory, including 19 in the second period.

"We played playoff hockey, we dealt with the pressure very well and rose to every challenge presented" head coach Andy Boschetto said "we scored a goal everytime they did and it spoke a lot about our character and how we respond. They played as a team and played their system and got the win as a team."

The Seahawks advance to the semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 27 and await the outcome of other quarterfinal matchup to determine who they will face.