LaRusso recorded his first career two-goal games. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens).

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (February 10, 2024) – The Stonehill College men's ice hockey team earned its first NCAA Division I win after skating to a thrilling, 4-2, victory against Lindenwood Saturday night inside the Bridgewater Ice Arena.

Highlights

• Stonehill's defense stood tall blocking a season-high 30 shots on the night.
• Defensive duo of Greg Japchen and Cam Mannion registered seven and eight blocks, respectively.
• Freshman Jake LaRusso had a career-night, netting two goals including the game-winner to help lead the Skyhawks to their first ever DI victory.
• Junior Kyle Heath lit the lamp on his first goal of the season, while freshman Anthony Galante scored his third.
• Japchen dished out a pair of assists for the Skyhawks, while junior Henri Schreifels added his sixth helper of the season.
• Sophomore Dylan Meilun picked up his first DI win in goal after stopping 27 of his 29 shots faced between the pipes.
• Junior David Gagnon and junior Aiden Yakimchuk scored the lone goals for the Lions.  
• Junior Trent Burnham tallied 27 saves in goal for Lindenwood.

How it Happened

• Stonehill would waste little time after a scoreless opening frame, lighting the lamp in the second period just 49 seconds in. 
• After winning a faceoff on one end of the ice, Heath would skate through the neutral zone and eventually retrieve a net-front pass from Galante to open the scoring with his first career Division I goal. 
• With the Skyhawks leading by a narrow one-goal margin, Meilun, and the Stonehill defense would stand tall, blocking shots and killing off penalties until the 13:41 mark of the second.
• Lindenwood tied the game up at 1-1 after Yakimchuk sent a blue-line wrist shot past Meilun in the net for his fifth goal of the season.  
• After the Lions knotted the score, both sides would skate to an even score at the end of two full. 
• Just over five minutes into the third period, the Skyhawks would head onto their third power-play of the game, where LaRusso would receive a cross-ice pass from Schreifels and send a shot top shelf past Burnham, giving Stonehill a 2-1 lead with 14:15 left in regulation. 
• The Lions nearly tied the game again on the power play with four straight one-timer opportunities. However, Mannion and sophomore Ryan Davies would come up clutch, blocking all four shots over a minute span to keep the game at 2-1 in favor of the Skyhawks. 

  Meilun picked up his first NCAA Division I win in goal. (Photo Credit Mary Gettens).

• LaRusso rewarded his teammate's outstanding defensive effort at the 16:49 mark of the third, poking a puck away from freshman Ethan Zielke and scoring his second goal of the period on the breakaway. 
• With an extra attacker on the ice in the waning minutes of the contest, Gagnon would dive on a loose puck in front and score to cut the Lindenwood deficit to 3-2 with 1:22 left on the clock.
• Galante capped off the Stonehill scoring in the final minute of regulation with a full-length empty-net goal, sealing the thrilling 4-2 victory over the Lions. 

Up Next

Stonehill (1-29-0) returns to action on Tuesday for midweek matchup against Saint Anselm College. Puck drop from the Bridgewater Ice Arena between the Skyhawks and Hawks is set for 7 p.m.

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