EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (December 13, 2024) – The Stonehill College men's hockey team dropped a 3-1 decision to familiar NCAA Division I independent opponent Long Island University Friday night. With the loss, the Skyhawks fell to 6-15 overall, while the Sharks improved to 8-6-1 on the year.

Highlights

• Freshman Leo Chambers scored the lone goal for the Skyhawks and blocked a game-high three shots.
• With Chambers lamp lighter, the first-year center increased his point-scoring streak to three consecutive games.
• Graduate netminder Connor Androlewicz posted 35 saves in between the pipes for the Skyhawks, marking his fourth game of the season stopping at least 35 shots.
• Freshman Brennan Nelson fueled the Sharks offense registering his first career points after dishing out a pair of assists.
• Freshman Onni Leppänen is now tied for the team-lead for LIU with six goals on the season, while junior Austin Brimmer netted his fourth of the year.
• Freshman Anthony Lucarelli capped off the scoring for the Sharks with the first goal of his collegiate career.
• Junior goaltender Tyriq Outen picked up his fourth win in net after stopping 16 of his 17 shots faced on the night.  

How It Happened
LIU came out strong, peppering Androlewicz and the Skyhawks defense with 13 shot attempts in the first seven minutes of the opening frame. Despite being shorthanded early in the game, the Skyhawks' penalty kill stood tall, stifling the Sharks – who boast the nation's second-best power-play unit – and keeping LIU off the scoreboard.
 
Once the power play expired, Stonehill registered its first shot on goal at the 6:55 mark, as sophomore JJ Grainda fired a wrist shot off the shoulder of Outen in goal, narrowly missing the game's opening score. After Grainda's chance went by the wayside, the Sharks continued to apply pressure, outshooting Stonehill 13-5 by the end of the first period.
 
LIU carried its offensive momentum into the second period, outshooting Stonehill 12-1 in the opening 10 minutes. With 7:19 left in the middle frame, the Sharks would break through, taking a 1-0 lead when Brimmer fired a shot on a partial two-on-one break, beating Androlewicz over the shoulder and into the top-left corner of the Skyhawks' net.
 
Following Brimmer's goal, both teams traded five-minute major penalties. Stonehill successfully killed off the first penalty and began the third period with a five-minute power play, trailing LIU by just one goal. However, despite the advantage, the Skyhawks were unable to capitalize early in the final frame.
 
With the third period underway, the Sharks added to their lead at the 13:43 mark. Leppänen retrieved a pass from Nelson off the boards and slipped a shot through Androlewicz's pads into the net for his sixth goal of the season. Four minutes later, Stonehill responded, cutting the deficit to one after a scramble in front of the LIU net. The loose puck found its way to Chambers, who scored into the empty net, bringing the score to 2-1 with just over three minutes remaining in regulation.
 
With 90 seconds left, the Skyhawks won an offensive zone faceoff and pulled their goalie, hoping for a late equalizer. However, a turnover at their own blue line led to a breakaway for the Sharks, and Lucarelli sealed the game with an empty-net goal, securing the 3-1 victory for LIU.
 
Up Next
Stonehill (6-15-0) rounds out its two-game weekend set at the Northwell Health Ice Center against LIU on Saturday. Puck drop between the Skyhawks and Sharks is set for 7:30 PM from East Meadow, New York.
 
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