SHELTON, Conn. – Junior forward Baxter Kimball scored two power-play goals for Post University Men's Ice Hockey on Pink in the Rink Day for the Eagles at the Sports Center of Connecticut on Saturday afternoon, but three first-period goals by Southern New Hampshire University would be all the Penmen needed as they downed Post and split the weekend series with a 3-2 win. 

The results across the Northeast-10 today now drop the Eagles back into fourth place in the conference at 22 points just two back of the Penmen with 24 points, four back of Saint Michael's College in second place with 26 points, and first-place Saint Anselm College at 32 points following their weekend sweeps. 

THE BASICS

Post University 2, Southern New Hampshire University 3 

Post University (9-11-0, 7-7-0 NE10)

Southern New Hampshire University (9-10-1, 8-5-1 NE10)

HOW IT HAPPENED
All the scoring in today's game would come in the first period as five combined goals were scored between the two teams which saw the Penmen come out ahead 3-2. Southern New Hampshire wasted no time getting on the board in quick fashion as just 3:02 into the contest it was freshman forward Dillon Phillips beating junior goalie Benjamin Cunneen to give his team the lead and only 1:43 later on the power play freshman forward Kyle Slingerland added to the lead with a goal of his own.

Trailing 2-0, Kimball's first of two goals in the period with 8:30 remaining cut the deficit in half, 2-1, with the help of freshman defenseman Eoin Reager and junior forward Conner Murray. Both Reager and Murray would help Kimball on his second goal of the evening with 2:55 left in the period, but not before sophomore defenseman Bryan McLachlan's score 4:20 after Kimball's first goal helped Southern New Hampshire reclaim their two-goal lead briefly.

That 3-2 lead after one frame would be all the Penmen needed the rest of the way as sophomore goalie Collin Berke made 32 saves on 34 attempts today which came after being pulled yesterday during the second period after allowing two goals on 11 shot attempts in just over 21 minutes of action.

Berke and the Southern New Hampshire defense would have to navigate a total of eight power-play chances for Post, but after allowing those two first-period goals to Kimball on the power play, the remaining six penalty kill situations during the second and third periods saw the Penmen hold the Eagles off the scoreboard. 

The same could be said for the Eagles who allowed that initial power-play goal in the first period before halting the remaining two power-play opportunities the Penmen had in the same frame as well as two more to finish the day 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Taking his fifth loss of the season in net for Post was Cunneen who made 25 saves on 28 attempts in the 3-2 loss. 

BY THE NUMBERS  

• Baxter Kimball finished the weekend scoring three goals and recording three total points for Post University -- Kimball now has seven goals and four assists on the season 
• Connor Murray and Eoin Reager each finished with two assists in today's game while Murray finished the day 11-for-19 in the faceoff circle 
• Collin Berke shook off yesterday's rough start in net for Southern New Hampshire University, making 32 saves on 34 attempts from Post University to earn his ninth win of the season 
• As a team, Post University finished 2-for-8 on the power play today and went 0-for-6 on the man advantages after the first period while going 4-for-5 on the penalty kill 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University heads on the road for the next two weekends starting off with two games at Saint Anselm College on Friday and Saturday of next week. The two teams will drop the puck at 6:00 PM on Friday evening before returning to the ice at 3:00 PM on Saturday. The Eagles split their two-game home set against the Hawks earlier this season as both teams emerged with 4-3 wins.