DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire men's hockey team fell by a score of 2-0 to StFX University Saturday afternoon at the Whittemore Center. The exhibition contest was the first of the season for the Wildcats. The X-Men improve to 3-1 in pre-season exhibition play.
The Wildcats started the game off with five consecutive shots; two on goal with two blocked and one wide. Captain Matt Willows rifled a shot in the opening minutes, followed by Grayson Downing, both of which were saved by X-Men goaltender Drew Owsley. Freshman netminder Adam Clark made his first save of the game on a shot by Zackary MacQueen.
Andrew Poturalski created a great bid with just over 13 minutes to play in the first period when he forced a turnover in the UNH zone and skated up ice with the puck. He fired a wrist shot from just inside the right faceoff circle that went just high of the StFX net. On the other end of the ice, Clark came up with a big save with 8:44 remaining in the frame as Bronson Maschmeyer attempted to jam a shot in from the right of Clark, but the netminder extended to make the save and cover up the puck. Maxim Gaudreault had a great backhander shot with less than five minutes to play in the first, but Owsley denied the attempt to keep the score tied.
At the end of the first period, UNH and StFX were scoreless. The Wildcats held a 12-7 shot advantage through the first 20 minutes.
In the second period, StFX took a 1-0 lead on a shot by Michael Kirkpatrick 1:26 into the second period. The play started with Robert Slaney sending the puck up ice to Nathan Chiarlitti in the UNH zone. Chiarlitti slid the puck to Kirkpatrick in front who then found the back of the net.
Wildcats blueliner Cameron Marks fired his first shot on goal with just over 14 minutes remaining as Gaudreault laced a pass across ice to him near the blueline in the StFX zone. Marks' shot was turned away by Owsley. Poturalski kept the offensive prowess going in the second period as he blazed through the StFX defense at the net. His shot was thwarted by Owsley as he cut down the angle.
At the end of two periods, the X-Men held a 1-0 advantage. UNH netminder Clark finished the first two periods with 10 saves on the 11 shots he faced.
To start the third period, netminder Jamie Regan came in for New Hampshire. Just 28 seconds into the third period, Regan made a big save on a one-time shot by Kirkpatrick from just outside of the crease. The Wildcats garnered the rebound and skated up ice with the puck as Brett Pesce sent a wrist shot on net, but Owsley made the glove save.
The X-Men got the second goal of the game with 18:21 left to play in the third period on a tip in front by Steven Kuhn. Blake Gal took the initial shot from inside the blueline as Kuhn made contact with his stick and directed it low and into the net.
New Hampshire remained poised and kept the offense coming. With an empty net for UNH and an extra skater, Tyler Kelleher rifled a shot on goal that was saved by Owsley, but the rebound popped out. Downing was on the backdoor for the rebound, but Owsley stopped that attempt as well. As the final seconds expired, StFX held on for the 2-0 win.
On the night, UNH goaltending made 17 saves on 19 shots faced. Regan ended the night with seven saves. Owsley saved each of the 30 shots he faced in the shutout victory.
Next on the schedule for the X-Men is another exhibition match-up on Sunday when they will face the Merrimack College Warriors in a 4:00 pm game (AST) in North Andover, MA.