SHELTON, Conn. – It was the game that Post University Men's Ice Hockey needed to snap its eight-game losing streak on both ends of the ice. Behind 19 saves from senior goalie Benjamin Cunneen, earning his fourth shutout of the season, and the game-winning goal from sophomore forward Owen Atkinson, the Eagles took care of business on home ice against Franklin Pierce University, 1-0, on the first half of a home-and-home weekend with the Ravens.

THE BASICS

Post University 1, Franklin Pierce University 0

Post University (4-15-1, 3-9-1 NE10)

Franklin Pierce University (8-13-0, 6-7-0 NE10) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The entire game was a battle of the goalies in which senior goalie Jeremy Connor made 26 saves through the first two periods, while Cunneen had half that with only 13 saves to his name. In that same span, both teams had seven combined power plays, as the Ravens were 0-for-4 heading into the third, while Post was 0-for-3.

Senior forward Baxter Kimball had the best chance to give Post the lead in the first two frames when senior forward Conner Murray threw a puck towards the net, and Kimball brought his stick above the crossbar, tapping the puck between the legs of Connor. The goal was waved off due to Kimball's high stick, keeping the game knotted at zero after 40 minutes of action.

The back-and-forth battle would continue in the Northeast-10 battle until Atkinson gave the Eagles the lead while Post was on a 5-on-3 power play due to an unsportsmanlike conduct call to senior forward Isaiah Frankel and sophomore defenseman Joshua Tisdell. With that two-man advantage, the sophomore would clean up the rebound on sophomore defenseman Aidan Canady's shot attempt on a pass from sophomore defenseman Eoin Reager with just over 13 minutes left in regulation to give Post the 1-0 lead.

That lead would hold up the rest of the way, as despite a 6-on-4 advantage for the Ravens with Connor pulled from the net and a penalty issued to senior forward Jacob Howell, Cunneen would make the one stop he needed to in that final 46-second stretch to secure the 1-0 shutout win for Post.

BY THE NUMBERS  

• Owen Atkinson scored his first goal of the season, serving as the extra skater for Post University in the game -- Atkinson had one goal and one assist last year in 11 games played
• Benjamin Cunneen picked up his fourth shutout of the season, making 19 saves on all 19 attempts by Franklin Pierce University -- The Eagles have won all their games this season in shutout fashion
• Getting handed the loss, Jeremy Connor was near-perfect for Franklin Pierce University, making 37 saves on 38 attempts from Post University
• The two teams combined for a total of 11 power plays, in which Post University finished the game 1-for-6 on the day, while Franklin Pierce University was 0-for-5

WHO'S NEXT 
Post University plays the back end of the home-and-home against Franklin Pierce University tomorrow night at 7:00 PM.