SHELTON, Conn. – With two games left in the regular season, Post University Men's Ice Hockey entered the day still in the hunt for a Northeast-10 Tournament home playoff game this upcoming Tuesday afternoon, sitting four points back of Assumption University in fourth place and five points back of Saint Michael's College in third place. While those two teams played each other this weekend, the Eagles had no room for error if they wanted to move up in the standings during the final weekend.

Although freshman forward Max Beaulac would score his first collegiate goal to give Post the lead in the second period, five unanswered goals by visiting Franklin Pierce University would end the Eagles' chances at a home playoff game, falling 5-1 to the Ravens on Friday afternoon on Senior Day. The loss guarantees that the Eagles will be the fifth seed in next week's NE10 Tournament and take on the fourth seed, which is still to be determined with everyone else getting underway this evening and a full slate of games tomorrow. 

THE BASICS

Post University 1, Franklin Pierce University 5

Post University (10-15-0, 8-11-0 NE10)

Franklin Pierce University (2-23-2, 2-16-1 NE10)

HOW IT HAPPENED
A quiet first period for both teams saw the Eagles holding an 11-6 advantage in shots on goal while junior goalie Jeremy Connor and senior goalie Drew Blodgett each matched each other in between the pipes to keep the game scoreless through one. In his three seasons with the Ravens, Connor had started in goal against Post just twice entering the day, going 1-1-0 with a 3-2 victory as well as a 5-4 loss last season. 

As for Blodgett, he was 3-4-0 in the seven games throughout his four-year career, which he is wrapping up this winter against Franklin Pierce, but 3-1-0 in the last four games as well as 2-0-0 entering the day against them.  

In the second, it would be the Eagles who got on the board first as Beaulac's shot from the point caught Connor off guard in the net for his first collegiate goal to give Post a 1-0 lead near the halfway point of the game. But from there on out, it would be all Ravens, as the road team would go on to score five unanswered goals en route to their second win of the season. 

Starting the scoring was sophomore forward Nicholas Tessier, just under two minutes after the goal by Beaulac, tying the game up at one all. Five and a half minutes after that, freshman forward Phillip Parker found the back of the net, giving the Ravens a 2-1 lead heading into the final period despite being outshot 12-7 by the Eagles. 

Turnovers would hurt Post in the third, leading to a trio of goals for Franklin Pierce, helping them finish off the 5-1 road win as freshman forward Mario Paganini, senior forward Brendan Spinale, and sophomore forward Nick Fish all scored for the Ravens, who outshot the Eagles, 17-10, over the final 20 minutes of the affair. 

BY THE NUMBERS  

• Max Beaulac scored his first collegiate goal for Post University in the second period of today's game – Beaulac had appeared in 14 games entering today's game 
• Earning the second win of his career against Post University, Jeremy Connor made 32 saves on 33 attempts by Post University – Connor accounts for both of Franklin Pierce's wins during the regular season 
• Drew Blodgett falls to 1-6-0 in net this season for Post University after allowing five goals and making 25 saves in the loss to Franklin Pierce University today
• The 5-1 loss for Post University ties the largest margin of defeat for the Eagles this season, alongside their 4-0 loss against Southern New Hampshire University way back on November 23rd, 2024 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University finishes the regular season tomorrow afternoon with a 5:30 PM matchup against Franklin Pierce University in Winchedon, Massachusetts.