SHELTON, Conn. - Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team defeated Post University, 3-2, in Northeast-10 Conference play on Saturday in the Sports Center of Connecticut in the first game of a weekend set. With one regular-season game remaining, the Purple Knights are third in the league with 31 points, only one short of Southern New Hampshire University. The top two teams earn first-round byes into semifinals.
 
RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (14-13, 12-7 NE10), Post (3-23-1, 2-16-1 NE10)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Sophomore Quinn McCarthy (Melrose, Mass./Holderness School), 3 assists, +3
• Junior Brennan McFarland (Greeley, Colo./Northern Colorado Eagles), 1 goal, 1 assist, +2
• Senior Zach Taylor (Hanover, Mass./South Shore Kings), 2 assists, 14-for-25 faceoffs
• Senior TJ Beaver (Enfield, N.H./Proctor Academy), 1 goal, +3
• Junior Case Kantgias (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Northern Colorado Eagles), 1 goal
• Junior Jack Macdonald (Baraboo, Wis./Seahawks Hockey Club), 11-for-22 faceoffs
• Sophomore Jake Lincourt (Smithfield, R.I./Walpole Express), 10-for-14 faceoffs, 2 blocked shots
• Sophomore Cole Manahan (Hermantown, Minn./Vernal Oilers), 33 saves
• Junior Ryland Dukes (Nashville, Tenn./Walpole Express), 2 blocked shots
• Sophomore Ashton Allain (Brentwood, Tenn./Walpole Express), 2 blocked shots

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Graduate student Jack Engdahl, 1 goal
• First-year Cameron Craig, 1 goal
• Senior Connor Barter, 2 assists, 7-for-15 faceoffs
• Junior Patrick Murphy, 14-for-25 faceoffs
• Junior Drew Blodgett, 25 saves

GAME FACTS

• Saint Michael's held the advantage in faceoffs (40-33) during the matchup.
• Neither team converted on a combined 12 power-play opportunities.
• Manahan made 12 saves in the third period to keep the Eagles from equalizing.
• Today's matchup is the ninth 3-2 contest the team has played in during the 2023-24 season.  

THE ACTION

• Beaver gave the visitors a 1-0 lead just 1:05 into the first period on a one-timer in between the two faceoff circles on assists from McCarthy and Taylor.
• Kantgias scored the second goal of the first period for Saint Michael's at 13:47 on a backhanded shot on assists from McCarthy and McFarland to double the lead.  
• The Purple and Gold scored its third straight goal 26 seconds later when McFarland scored on a 2-on-1 rush on assists from Taylor and McCarthy.
• Crowther scored Post's first goal of the afternoon by taking a shot directly off of Barter's face off win at 2:53 in the second period to make the score 3-1.
• The Eagles scored their second straight goal at 17:04 when Engdahl took a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle to bring the hosts within one of the Purple Knights.
• Despite the Eagles pulling Blodgett with 1:10 left in the third period for an extra skater, the Eagles were unable to equalize, as Manahan made three saves in the last 32 seconds.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Sunday at Post, 2:40 p.m.