Box Score

FOXBORO, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College men's ice hockey team suffered a 5-2 setback to Stonehill College on Tuesday night in Northeast-10 Conference action at the Foxboro Sports Center in Foxboro, Mass.

The Hawks fall to 10-7-2 overall and were handed their first defeat in NE-10 play to drop to 3-1-0 in conference matchups. Stonehill picked up its fourth-straight win to improve to 9-8-3 on the year and 5-0-1 in NE-10 games.

Stonehill scored the only two goals of the opening period as Dan Graham netted the first goal of the game only 2:23 into first stanza and Richard Harris extended the lead to 2-0 with a power play strike less than five minutes later off an assist from Garrett White. The Hawks held a 14-7 advantage in shots on goal in the period, but could not break through the Skyhawks' William Palmer.

Brian Higgins extended the Stonehill lead to 3-0 with a tally 8:18 into the second frame with Thomas Jenkins and Robbie Dorgan picked up assists on the play.

Saint Anselm finally broke through as current NE-10 and New England Hockey Conference Rookie of the Week Bryan Green (Weymouth, Mass.) set up Peter Sikalis (Acton, Mass.) with a goal to cut the deficit to only 3-1 with less than three minutes to play in the second period. Sikalis made it a 3-2 game 15:34 into the final period off assists from Nick Leonard (Methuen, Mass.) and NEHC Player of the Week Bryan Sullivan (Burlington, Mass.).

With their backs against the wall, the Hawks pulled their goalie headed into the final two minutes of the game. Stonehill took advantage, netting a pair of empty-net tallies off the sticks of Thomas DePoalo and Robbie Dorgan to pull away for the 5-2 win.

The Hawks held a 41-20 advantage in shots on goal for the game, while going 0-for-4 on power play chances compared to the Skyhawks converting their lone extra-man chance. Shane Joyce (Pembroke, Mass.) stopped 15-of-18 shots in the setback, while Stonehill's William Palmer made 39 saves on 41 shots faced in his eighth win of the year.

Saint Anselm looks to get back on track on Saturday afternoon when the Hawks travel to New England College for a 4:00 p.m. meeting with the Pilgrims in NEHC action.

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