SHELTON, Conn. – It was a battle until the very end for Post University Men's Ice Hockey in a game where they never said never, coming back from an early three-goal deficit against Franklin Pierce University and using a third-period goal by senior forward Michael Gethings, the Eagles earned their first victory of the season and since January 27^th, 2023 with a 5-4 win at home against the Ravens on Friday afternoon.
 
THE BASICS

Post University 4, Franklin Pierce University 5

Post University (1-7-1, 1-4-1 NE10)

Franklin Pierce University (5-6-0, 3-4-0 NE10)

HOW IT HAPPENED
A crazy first period of action would see a combined six goals scored between both sides, sending the game into a 3-3 tie after just 20 minutes of action. After the first matchup earlier this season saw the Eagles take a 2-0 lead early, it would be the Ravens turn to take the lead early in this edition of the head-to-head matchup. Three unanswered goals were started by a shot in traffic by sophomore forward Tyson Springer from sophomore defenseman Declan House.
 
Less than a minute later, an odd man rush down the ice would lead to another Raven goal, this time by senior forward Trevor Lawler who was graduate defenseman Josh Kippenhan and sophomore defenseman Douglas McGuire to give Franklin Pierce a 2-0 lead. With just over 12 minutes remaining in the first would come the third goal as sophomore forward Payton Jones converted on a power play opportunity which led to junior goalie Drew Blodgett being lifted for junior goalie Zach Richards.
 
A power play would be what got momentum back in favor of the Eagles as graduate defenseman Nick Brewer, who scored the lone goal against Albertus Magnus, scored for a second straight game. Brewer snagged a puck that squirted off of junior defenseman Trey Deloury's stick and fired on sophomore goalie Jeremy Connor to cut the Post deficit to two goals, 3-1.
 
Within 30 seconds of each other and less than five minutes to go in the first period, sophomore forward Jacob Howell and junior defenseman Tommy Buis would each put one by Connor, making it a whole new game with the score tied at three after one.
 
Yet again, the Eagles would have to come from behind as only 42 seconds into the second, as a loose puck in front of Richards found sophomore forward Matt Horan's stick for the quick shot into the right side of the net, making it a 4-3 game. This time it would be junior center Patrick Murphy tying things up as a scramble behind the net for the puck bounced around off Howell and sophomore defenseman Ryan Cardow. All alone in front of Connor, he would take the puck and fire it past Connor to knot it back up at 4.
 
Howell and Murphy would team up for the fifth and final goal of the afternoon that would prove to be the game winner. They would find Gethings on the right side of the net who spun around and fired into a crowded net front with a shot that somehow found its way by Connor for the go-ahead goal. Richards would hold onto that Eagle lead for good, making nine saves in the third period as part of his 24 total saves in relief of Blodgett to get Post their first win of the season, 5-4.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Getting the win with 24 saves, Zach Richards got his first collegiate win in net for Post University after going 0-3-1 last season, Richards allowed just one goal in the game – the fewest he has allowed in eight career starts
• Five different players scored for Post today while six different players recorded assists – Jacob Howell and Patrick Murphy led the way with two assists each
• The five goals for Post University was the most they have scored in a game since they scored six goals in a victory on January 20^th, 2023 at home against Southern New Hampshire University in a 6-5 victory
• This was Post University's first win in their last 17 games, going 0-14-3 before today with their last win coming on January 27th, 4-2, against Saint Anselm

 
WHO'S NEXT
Post University finishes their two-game set against Franklin Pierce University tomorrow afternoon at the Sports Center of Connecticut in Shelton, Connecticut on the Lower Rink. Puck drop is scheduled for 1:00 PM.