WESTFIELD, Mass. -- In their 2023-24 opener, Post University Men's Ice Hockey hit the road for the first round of the Western Mass Shootout Tournament which featured the Eagles, their opponent Westfield State University, Franklin Pierce University, and Western New England University. Taking on the Owls, Post would get a game-tying goal in the third period from graduate defenseman Nick Brewer but ultimately fall in overtime, 3-2. 

THE BASICS

Post University 2, Westfield State University 3 (OT)

Post University (0-1-0)

Westfield State University (1-0-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior defenseman Dawson Garcia would connect with sophomore forward Ryan Moorhouse in the opening period to give the Owls a 1-0 lead just under 12 minutes into the contest after beating junior goalie Drew Blodgett. On the other side, senior goalie Valtteri Valtonen would play the first 4:48 before giving way to fellow senior goalie Kevin Chandler who held the Eagles in check for the rest of the first period to the tune of nine combined saves.

Senior center Ryan Mosher would connect on the equalizer against Chandler, recording an unassisted goal about 4 1/2 minutes into the second, his first of the season to tie things up at one. For the Eagles, Blodgett would hold down the fort stopping all six shots sent his way to send the game into the third with the score knotted up at one. 

A trio of penalties would prove costly for the Eagles as freshman defenseman Raphael Seguin and sophomore forward Brett Williams teamed up to locate freshman forward Andreas Fleutot with what would be the go-ahead goal at the time with 11:59 remaining in regulation. Penalties to the Owls would prove equally as costly as Brewer would tie things back up with 5:48 left in the third on a goal off the pass from junior Trey Deloury which would force overtime with the game tied at two. 

On just the second rush of the overtime period, Westfield State would seal the deal as Seguin found sophomore forward Cooper Board for the game-winning goal in the 3-2 victory for the Owls to send them to the Championship Game against Western New England University on Saturday. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Drew Blodgett stopped 25 of 28 shots faced against Westfield State University on Friday
• A trio of goalies would play for Westfield State, combining for 40 total saves in the game 
• Post University would manufacture eight power play opportunities, scoring on just one of them while notching 23 total shots 
• Dating back to the 2021-22 season, Post University has lost three straight matchups against Westfield State and are now 1-5-1 all-time against the Owls 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University will close their time at the Western Mass Shootout Tournament against Franklin Pierce University at 4:00 PM tomorrow in Westfield, Massachusetts. The Eagles are 0-3-1 in their last four games against the Ravens, tying their last matchup at three. The two squads will play each other four times later on this season as part of their Northeast-10 conference schedule.