SHELTON, Conn. –  Sophomore defenseman Eoin Reager and sophomore forward Bradley McMains helped Post University Men's Ice Hockey take a 2-1 lead in the second period against Albertus Magnus College in the team's return to the ice from winter break on Tuesday afternoon at home, but two unanswered goals by the Falcons down the stretch of the second half of that same frame would down Post, 3-2. 

THE BASICS

Post University 2, Albertus Magnus College 3

Post University (3-8-1)

Albertus Magnus College (7-5-0) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Less than three minutes into the contest, the Eagles would be dealt a big blow as senior forward Joe Santoro drew a major penalty resulting in a game misconduct, leading to his removal from the game. Santoro came into the game as the team's leader in faceoff wins with 129 wins so far this season, and with the major, Albertus Magnus would have a five-minute power play, wiping out the tripping penalty that freshman forward Brendan Coughlin incurred only 58 seconds earlier, as a brief four-on-four session would commence.

After Post successfully killed off the penalty with senior goalie Benjamin Cunneen making six total saves, Reager would score towards the end of the first to give the Eagles the lead, 1-0, with the help of senior forward Jacob Howell. Looking to extend that advantage in the second, Post would go on the power play just over three minutes into the frame, but a neutral zone turnover would lead to freshman forward Sam Lozinski scoring his first collegiate goal, tying the game at one all.

That tie would end up being short-lived as just after the power play expired, McMains shifted around freshman goalie Caleb Chabot for the score off a pass from senior forward Hugh McGuigan that put the Eagles back ahead, 2-1. Down the back half of the second though, that would be when the Falcons answered back with two goals of their own as a shot from Lozinski seemed to trickle along the goal line and out of the crease, but was ruled to have crossed the line, giving the freshman his second goal of the season and his career, tying things up at two all.

Making the most of their second power play of the day, senior defenseman Connor Bertamini gave Albertus Magnus the lead for good with his tip-in goal from senior forward Bailey Kirwin with less than a minute to go in the second, which would hold up as the game-winner in the 3-2 win for the Falcons. In all, Cunneen would stop 41 shots for Post while Chabot made 26 stops, including one with the Eagles having an empty net and looking for the equalizer. After Lozinski drew a slashing penalty with the net empty and under a minute to go, Post would play 6-on-4, having a few shots in front of Chabot that would be blocked or go just wide of the slot before time expired.

BY THE NUMBERS  

• Post University finished the game 0-for-6 on the power play, falling to 8-for-51 (15.7%) on the man advantage through 12 games this season
• Sam Lozinski scored his first two collegiate goals for Albertus Magnus College in the win, netting the game-tying goal in both the first and second periods
• Zane Kindrachuk now sits third on the team in points for the season with 10 for Albertus Magnus College after being responsible for two assists 
• After winning three of their first four matchups against Albertus Magnus College, Post University has lost each of the last three games, with this being the first one-goal loss during that streak

WHO'S NEXT 
Post University heads on the road for a game to take on Westfield State University on Friday at 1:30 PM. Last season, the Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak against the Owls with a 3-2 overtime win at home, their first in program history on home ice against Westfield State.