SHELTON, Conn. –  For Post University Men's Ice Hockey, you could not have scripted a better start to the 2025-26 season at the Sports Center of Connecticut. Playing against WestConn in only the second game of the program's existence, but less than 24 hours after losing a 5-4 overtime thriller to Albertus Magnus College, senior goalie Benjamin Cunneen made program history with the first shutout for the Eagles, making 26 saves in a 6-0 win for Post on Saturday afternoon. 

THE BASICS

Post University 6, WestConn 0

Post University (1-0-0)

WestConn (0-2-0) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
In all, six different Eagles found the back of the net, including freshman forward AJ Guzzardi for his first collegiate goal in the third period, while the power-play unit was 3-for-6 overall on the day. The defense of Post was equally as impressive, going a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill, in which WestConn manufactured nine total shots, as the two teams combined for 11 penalties for 36 total minutes in the sin bin. 

Post heavily controlled the faceoff dot as well, with senior forward Jacob Howell winning 13-of-17, followed by senior forward Joe Santoro with a 10-of-17 game, as the Eagles won 41 out of a possible 65 faceoffs. In net, Cunneen was a perfect 26-for-26 on the shots he faced from the Wolves, only departing from the game for 40 seconds due to an equipment issue in the first period, leading to sophomore goalie Sam Edmands making one save while Cunneen's skate was attended to. 

WestConn sent a couple of goalies into the net throughout the afternoon as freshman goalie Malte Hedlund made 14 first-period saves, allowing three goals in the process, before freshman goalie Dylan Dewachter allowed three goals over the final two periods while making 18 saves. 

Beyond Guzzardi's first collegiate goal and assist, sophomore defenseman Aidan Canady picked up where he left off from last season with a goal and an assist, while Howell and freshman defenseman James Hope each had two assists in the contest to make it four Eagles with multi-point outings. Santoro, junior forward Parker Norling, sophomore forward TJ Haas, and senior forward Conner Murray were the other four players to score for Post in the 6-0 win. 

BY THE NUMBERS   

• Benjamin Cunneen tallied 26 saves, holding WestConn off the scoreboard to record the first shutout win in program history for Post University
• AJ Guzzardi recorded his first collegiate goal in the third period of Saturday afternoon's contest
• Post University begins the year 3-for-6 on the power play, while also going 5-for-5 on the penalty kill against WestConn
• WestConn is in its first season as an NCAA Division III Varsity Men's Ice Hockey program, kicking off its inaugural season yesterday in a 5-4 loss to Albertus Magnus College in overtime

WHO'S NEXT 
Conference play begins next weekend for Post University as they take on Assumption University in a home-and-home series next weekend with Friday's matchup being on the road at 7:00 PM. The two teams split their four regular-season games before the Greyhounds came out on top, 3-0, in the NE10 Tournament Quarterfinals.