BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (December 4, 2024) – The Stonehill College men's hockey team dropped a 4-1 decision to Alaska-Anchorage Wednesday night at the Bridgewater Ice Arena. With the loss, the Skyhawks fell to 6-12 overall, while the Seawolves improved to 3-10-2 on the year.

Highlights

• Freshman center Joel Lehtinen scored the lone goal for the Skyhawks, marking the first lamp lighter of his collegiate career.
• Senior defender Cam Mannion dished out his first assist of the season on Lehtinen's third-period goal.
• Sophomore Charlie Banquier tallied two blocked shots on the night, while junior Evan Orr registered a team-best five shots on goal.
• Graduate netminder Connor Androlewicz posted 21 saves in between the pipes for Stonehill.
• Graduate student Will Schimek scored the first goal of his collegiate career, while freshman Ryan Johnson recorded his team-leading sixth goal of the season for the Seawolves.
• Freshman Dylan Contreras and graduate student Tanner Edwards added their respective second and fifth goals of the year.
• Sophomore goaltender Greg Orosz picked up his third win of the season after stopping 26 of his 27 shots faced on the night inside the crease.

How It Happened
After a back-and-forth start to the midweek matchup, with neither team able to sustain offensive zone possession, Alaska-Anchorage broke through to score the game's first goal at the 8:08 mark of the first period. Schimek, receiving a pass at the high slot from junior Conor Cole, fired a shot through traffic and into the net for his first goal of the season, giving the Seawolves a 1-0 lead midway through the opening frame.
 
Alaska-Anchorage doubled its advantage less than five minutes later at the 12:38 point of the period. Contreras retrieved a loose puck in the neutral zone and sped down the ice on a breakaway, netting what would prove to be the game-winning goal.
 
Stonehill earned its first power-play opportunity early in the second period, at the 7:09 mark. Despite the two-minute advantage and a pair of shot attempts, the Skyhawks were stifled by the Seawolves' penalty kill. Just over two minutes after the conclusion of the Stonehill power play, Alaska-Anchorage added another goal. At 12:20 of the second period played, following a successful entry into the offensive zone, junior Matt Johnson passed to Edwards in the middle of the ice, who then whistled a shot under the crossbar and into the net, giving the Seawolves a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the third period.
 
Looking to build momentum in the third, Stonehill cut into its deficit early. After a shot off the far boards from Mannion, Lehtinen was in front to capitalize on the rebound, sending a backhander over Orosz's pads to bring the score to 3-1 in favor of Alaska-Anchorage.
 
Midway through the final frame, the Skyhawks continued to apply pressure, firing seven shots on goal in a four-minute span. However, the Seawolves' defense held firm, and with time winding down, Johnson sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, securing a 4-1 win for Alaska-Anchorage.
 
Up Next
Stonehill (6-12-0) returns to action this weekend, traveling to Orono, Maine for a two-game set against the nationally ranked #5 University of Maine. Puck drop of Saturday's series opener between the Skyhawks and Black Bears is set for 2 PM.
 
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