SHELTON, Conn. – For the third consecutive game, Post University Men's Ice Hockey dropped the puck against Assumption University, who came into the game tied for the Northeast 10 Conference lead with Saint Michael's at 5-1-0. Playing in their first home game of the season, the Eagles would strike first but were unable to sustain their momentum, dropping their third straight matchup this year to the Greyhounds, 4-1, as they search for their first win of the 2023-24 campaign.
 
THE BASICS

Post University 1, Assumption University 4

Post University (0-6-1, 0-4-1 NE10)

Assumption University (8-1-0, 6-1-0 NE10)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Scoring first for just the third time so far this season, sophomore forward Jake Aloi gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead just 1:24 into the first period. Two passes from the point by junior defenseman Trey Deloury and freshman defenseman Wyatt Noble would set up Aloi in front of senior goalie Thomas McLarnon for what would ultimately end up being the lone goal of the afternoon for the Eagles. Post would hold on to the one-goal lead into the second period behind nine saves from junior goalie Drew Blodgett while McLarnon stopped an Eagle offensive attack that saw them get 16 total chances.
 
A turnover heavy second frame would end up being the difference maker in the affair, leading to three goals for the Greyhounds who stormed back to take a 3-1 lead. Deep in the defensive zone, a Post turnover found the stick of junior forward Ronny Paragallo who made the most of his opportunity to tie the game with 15:57 remaining in the second.
 
Scoring two goals less than two minutes apart, it was Paragallo again with his second goal after a shot by DeLoury on the offensive end for the Eagles. Sophomore forward Jake Lavoie would push the puck up to freshman forward Leo Piandes who raced down the right side of the ice to find Paragallo with a wide-open left side of the net to beat Blodgett for the go-ahead goal.
 
Adding some insurance would be graduate forward Shane Sullivan who made the most of a power play chance for Assumption. After the faceoff was won by sophomore forward Ryan Decker, freshman forward Jonathan Surrette kicked the puck toward Sullivan near the point who ripped it by Blodgett for the third goal of the frame.
 
Still trailing by two goals, Post would pull Blodgett with just over a minute remaining in regulation but after a blocked shot by the Greyhound defense, Sullivan would get the empty net goal with 31 second left from Surette and freshman defenseman Patrick McKiernan as Assumption would close out the three-game sweep on the Eagles with a 4-1 win.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Drew Blodgett stopped 41 shots on 44 total attempts taken by Assumption
• Winning for the second time this season against Post, Thomas McLarnon stopped 31 of 32 shots faced
• In their last 11 matches against Assumption University, Post is now 0-10-1, dropping their last five matches and tying the one before that, 1-1
• Post University is now 0-13-3 in their last 16 games with their last win coming on January 27th, 4-2, against Saint Anselm 

 
WHO'S NEXT
Post University continues what will be a nine-game homestand at the end of it all on Tuesday afternoon against Albertus Magnus College on the Lower Rink at the Sports Center of Connecticut in Shelton, Connecticut. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 PM. This will be the sixth matchup in the series history between the two sides with the Eagles leading the series, 3-2-0. Both teams faced off last December in which Post fell, 4-1, on the road.