Worcester, Mass. – Connor Barter scored a game winner in the third period and Kieran Gardner scored in the first ten seconds of the game and Evan Lugo scored twice, as the Post University men's hockey team won its first game of the season, a 5-4 defeat of Assumption in a Northeast-10 game on Saturday evening.
Barter's goal came at the 13:03 mark of the third as Gardner poked the puck to a few feet in front of the crease and Barter's shot went through the five-hole of Assumption goaltender Thomas McLarnon to give the Eagles for good.
It was Barter's first career goal.
Gardner's goal in the first was a school record for fastest goal to start a game. During the opening faceoff, Brandon Crowther raced down with the puck, passing it to a streaking Gardner for a one-timer to give the Eagles the early lead.
The Greyhounds answered just 31 seconds later on a goal from Devan Sheth.
Assumption added another goal to take a 2-1 lead at the 5:45 mark before the Eagles tied it at the 9:20 mark as Jack Engdahl ripped a wrist shot from the right circle after a nifty move to tie the game at 2-2, which would remain the score at the first intermission.
With the Eagles down 3-2 in the second, Lugo scored his first goal at the 6:51 mark as Lugo wrestled the puck away from the Greyhounds on the boards and ripped a shot from his knees to tie the game at 3-3.
At the 13:59 mark Lugo would score his second goal on assists from Tommy Buis and Nick Brewer to give the Eagles the 4-3 lead heading into the third period.
The Greyhounds would score at the 8:33 mark of the third to tie the game at 4-4, before Barter's heroics.
 
"Our ability to stick to the game plan and respond to whatever we faced was the difference maker for us tonight," men's ice hockey head coach Pete Whitney said.

In net, Brandon Brown stopped 28 shots for his first win in net of the season.

Up next, the Eagles will play at Southern New Hampshire on Nov. 12 at 7:40 p.m. in an NE10 matchup.