MIDDLETOWN, CONN. – The Saint Anselm men's ice hockey team traveled to Middletown, Conn., this evening to take on the Wesleyan University Cardinals in inter-conference play. The Hawks took the first lead, but three Wesleyan goals late in the third period gave the Cardinals a 5-2 victory. The win lifts the Cardinals to 6-11 (3-10 NESCAC), while the Hawks fall to 8-7-1 (6-6-1 ECAC East).

After a scoreless first period, junior tri-captain Coleman Noonan (Norfolk, Mass.) opened the game scoring, netting his team-leading 13th goal of the season at 9:04 in the second. The goal was assisted by Mike Richard (Derry, N.H.) and John Hennessey (Westwood, Mass.). Geoff Mucha then tied the game, knocking in a Cardinal goal at 15:44. Adam Kaiser added a second goal less than three minutes later, to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead heading into the third period.

Midway through the third, freshman Tucker Mullin (Andover, Mass.) tied the game on a power-play goal, assisted by Noonan and Richard. However, the game did not remain tied for long, as Sam Robinson drove in an unassisted goal at 14:49 in the third to regain the Cardinals' lead. Adam Kaiser knocked in a fourth Cardinal goal at 18:41, after which the Hawks pulled goaltender Alex Wyse (Amherst, N.Y.). The Cardinals then won the puck and brought it back to the Hawk side of the ice, and Brett Bandazian knocked in an empty-net goal at 19:10 to give the Cardinals a 5-2 victory.

Alex Wyse made a career-high 47 saves in 59:31 minutes in the net, allowing the first four goals and taking the loss. That is the most saves in a game by a Saint Anselm goalie since January 10, 2009, when Pat Gallagher stopped 49 shots. Cardinal goaltender Tim Archibald made 40 saves and allowed both goals, picking up his third win of the season.

The Hawks return home on Friday night, February 5th, when they take on the UMass-Boston Beacons in an ECAC East conference game beginning at 7:00 pm.