TEMPE, Ariz. (November 3, 2023) – The Stonehill College men's ice hockey team took nationally ranked #16 Arizona State to overtime and eventually fell by a final score of 5-4. With the loss the Skyhawks fall to 0-8 on the season, while Sun Devils improve to 5-1-1 on the year.
Highlights
- Sophomore defender Greg Japchen dished out a career-high three assists on the night.
- Sophomore Frank Ireland scored his team-leading third goal of the season.
- Sophomore Dean Schwenninger netted his first goal on the young campaign, while freshman duo of Joseph Grainda and Dominick Campione each lit the lamp for the second time of their young careers.
- Sophomore netminder Dylan Meilun tallied 31 saves in goal for Stonehill, marking his sixth game of the season with 30 or more saves.
- Freshman defender Anthony Dowd had a career game, tallying three points off a goal and two assists.
- Senior Matthew Kopperud scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season.
- Graduate student Tyler Gratton and senior Ryan O'Reilly recorded their second goals of the season, while graduate student Brian Chambers netted his first of the year.
- Sophomore goaltender Gibson Homer picked up his first win of the season in net for the Sun Devils after stopping 26 of his 30 shots faced on the night.
How it Happened
- After a back-and-forth start to the contest, Stonehill opened the scoring in the middle minutes of the first period as Ireland scored on an empty net after a cross-crease pass from freshman Conor Ronayne.
- Grainda would extend the Skyhawks advantage to 2-0 at the 15:07 mark of the opening frame after junior Henri Schreifels connected with the first year forward on a breakout pass up the ice.
- Arizona State would respond right away to open the second period at the 1:43 mark off the stick of Gratton for his second goal on the year.
- Stonehill would answer right back just over five minutes later after Schwenninger lit the lamp after receiving an up-ice pass from Japchen for his second helper of the game.
- Heading into the third period leading the Sun Devils by a pair of goals, Stonehill looked to gain a sense of breathing room for the goalkeeper. The Skyhawks would do just that as they scored their fourth goal of the match at the 3:44 mark of the third period off Campione's wrist shot over the shoulder of the Arizona State netminder.
- However, the Sun Devils would chip away and battle their way back, scoring three straight goals to send the game into a sudden death five-minute overtime period, where they would eventually find the back of the net and seal the 5-4 victory over the Skyhawks.
Up Next
Stonehill (0-8-0) wraps up its two-game weekend in Tempe, Arizona on Saturday against Arizona State. Puck drop between the Skyhawks and Sun Devils is set for 10 p.m., EST.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
