BOSTON, Mass.—Ethan Nitkin (Miami Beach, Fla.) and Nolan Barrett (Wayne, N.J.) each scored twice to lead UMass Boston men's hockey to their sixth Codfish Bowl Championship on Thursday afternoon at the Edward T. Barry Ice Rink. 
 
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 7, Post University 0
(UMass Boston 7-5-1) 
(Post University 4-6) 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Beacons scored three goals in the first and third periods and Tournament MVP Sam Best (Woburn, Mass.) posted his second-straight shutout. Best made 21 saves, including posting a pair of stops on breakaway chances in the second period, to earn his first collegiate shutout (in a non-exhibition game). 
 
Offensively, Nitkin and freshman Ty Matthews (Auburn, Mass.) paced the Beacons with three points apiece. Nitkin scored twice, added an assist and netted the game-winning goal, while Matthews posted his second-consecutive three-point game with a goal and two assists. 
 
Barrett added two goals of his own and potted a power-play goal for the second-straight day. Sophomore Owen Bourdow (Saginaw, Mich.) and freshman Michael Krupinski (Dallas, Texas) each tacked on a goal of their own. 
 
Post senior goalie Brandon Brown made 49 saves on 56 shots to take the loss in the contest. 
 
Just as they did on Wednesday against the URI Club Team, UMass Boston came out and thoroughly dominated their opponent in the opening stanza. 
 
The Beacons took the lead for good at 8:33 with a power-play goal. Brown made the initial stop on a Matthews shot but the rebound fell right in front of him and Nitkin jumped on the loose puck and poked it in. 
 
UMass Boston grabbed control of the game with two goals late in the first period. 
 
Matthews made it 2-0 at 18:43, when the freshman skated through a pair of defenseman and then snuck the puck inside the far post on a chance just at the end of an Eagles power-play. 
 
On the following shift, Andy Walker (Detroit, Mich.) found Nitkin in the slot and the senior fired a shot over Brown's shoulder for a 3-0 advantage at 19:38. 
 
Post would come out much more competitively in the second period. 
 
Barrett made it 4-0 at 8:05, when his slapshot from the far circle gave Brown no chance to make a save. 

Post had two chances to cut into the deficit minutes later, but Best was able to make nearly identical stops on breakaway chances for Tommy Buis and Connor Barter. Both times the Eagles skater waited until late to make their move and were denied by Best's left leg which was hugging the post. 
 
UMass Boston made it a rout in the third period, when they scored three times in a 4:06 span. 
 
Bourdow pushed the lead to 5-0 at 8:51 off a perfect give-and-go with Dakota Concannon (Warwick, N.Y.) that left Bourdow a wide-open net to finish. 
 
Barrett made it 6-0 at 11:20 with a power-play goal off a feed from Nitkin and Krupinski tapped home a rebound off a Matthews shot at 12:57. 
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• UMass Boston earned a 56-21 edge in shots and a 43-34 advantage in face-offs. 
• With the win, UMass Boston tied Boston State College for the second-most Codfish Bowl Titles in the history of the tournament (six). The Beacons (1983, 1997, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2021) now only trail Salem State University (eight titles) for the most championships all-time. 
• Best made 32 saves across the two games and played every minute of the 56^th Annual Codfish Bowl Tournament. Thursday's shutout was his first collegiate shutout and the Beacons first shutout victory, in a non-exhibition game, since UMass Boston shutout the University of Southern Maine on February 16, 2019 in the New England Hockey Conference Quarterfinals. 
• UMass Boston finished 2-5 on the power-play and held Post to an 0-1 mark. 
• Matthews, who had been out with an injury since November 6, led all Beacons players with five points (two goals and three assists) in the two-day tournament. 
• Nitkin's second goal was the 30^th goal of his career and the 50^th point. He now has 30 goals and 21 points as a Beacon. 

WHO'S NEXT 
 
UMass Boston will host Skidmore College on Friday, January 7 at 7 p.m. in New England Hockey Conference play.