ANN ARBOR, Mich. (January 12, 2024) – The Stonehill College men's ice hockey team dropped its series opening matchup against nationally ranked #15 Michigan, 12-4, Friday night. With the loss, the Skyhawks fall to 0-21 overall, while the Wolverines improve to 9-7-3 on the season.

Highlights

• Graduate student Matthew Allen scored his first career goal as a member of the Skyhawks, while freshman Jake LaRusso lit the lamp for his first collegiate goal.
• Freshman Joseph Grainda netted his freshman-leading third goal of the season, while sophomore Dean Schwenninger found the back of the net for the second time on the year.
• Junior goaltender Gavin FitzPatrick finished the night with a season-high 34 saves between the pipes for Stonehill.
• Sophomore Gavin Brindley scored a career-high four goals for the Wolverines, while sophomore Frank Nazar III added four points of his own off a pair of goals and assists.
• Sophomore Rutger McGroarty, sophomore Seamus Casey and sophomore Luca Fantilli each registered three assists on the night.
• Postgrad netminder Jake Barczewski picked up his eighth win in goal for Michigan after stopping 15 of his 19 shots faced.

How it Happened

• Michigan came out of the gates strong, scoring the game's opening goal 17 seconds into the contest after a backhanded shot from Brindley flew past FitzPatrick in goal.
• Schwenninger would tie the game up at one apiece two minutes later off a one-time slap shot over the shoulder of the Wolverines netminder. 
• However, after Schwenninger's equalizer early, Michigan would pour on the offense over the remainder of the opening frame, tacking three goals on the board to take a commanding 4-1 lead into the first intermission.
• The Wolverines continued their offensive momentum in the second period, scoring six goals to extend their advantage to 10-1 heading into the third. 
• The Skyhawks were on a mission coming out for the final frame of regulation, scoring a pair of goals in the opening three minutes of play.
• Just 19 seconds into the period off the opening faceoff win from freshman Conor Ronayne, sophomore defender Greg Japchen would skate the puck into the offensive zone and feed LaRusso a perfect slot pass on the power play for the Colts Neck, New Jersey natives first career goal. 
• At the 2:58 mark of the third, Grainda found the back of the net for his freshman-leading third goal after receiving a behind-the-back no-look pass from freshman Justin Barker. 
• Junior Henri Schreifels capitalized on a defensive miscue by the Wolverines at the 12:46 mark of the third, dishing a pass out front to Allen, who would score his first career goal as a member of the Skyhawks. 
• Despite outscoring Michigan 3-2 in the final period, the Wolverines lead grew too much for Stonehill to overcome, eventually falling by a final score of 12-4.

Noteworthy

• Sophomore William Tripp and junior Cameron Gaudette also recorded assists on the night.
• The Skyhawks matched their season-high total of four goals in a game. Last time Stonehill scored four goals was against #16 Arizona State on November 3rd.

Up Next

Stonehill (0-21-0) wraps up its weekend series in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday. Puck drop between the Skyhawks and Michigan Wolverines is set for 7 p.m. at the Yost Ice Arena.

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