DANBURY, Conn. – Sophomore Erik Danilchev (Rochester, Mich.) assisted on three of four goals and junior Victor-Antoine Fortier (Sherbrooke, Quebec) scored a goal and added an assist as the Western Connecticut State University men's hockey squad downed visiting non-league foe Post University, 4-2, on Saturday night. Sophomore Scott McNulty (Williamstown, N.J.) also had two assists for the Wolves, which led 3-0 after two periods and held off a third-period push from the Eagles.
Sophomore Tyler Gobel (Lindon, N.J.) broke the ice when he found the twine at 12:43 of the first period. Sophomore Francis Rose (Clarkston, Mich.) and Fortier assisted. Fortier made it 2-0 at 18:40 of the first, finishing a play set up by Danilchev and McNulty.
Sophomore defenseman Martin Brusoe (Madison, Wisc.) scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal at 17:59 of the second period. Danilchev and sophomore Marshall Curri (New Canaan, Conn.) assisted, and WestConn took a 3-0 lead into the third.
Post came out quickly in the final period. Cayden Sweitzer scored 12 seconds into the stanza, assisted by Owen Norman. Shortly thereafter, Connor Corcoran scored on the power play at 5:13, assisted by Bradley McMains, to cut the lead to 3-2. WestConn answered while shorthanded. At 6:40, sophomore defenseman Drew Coady (Braintree, Mass.) scored, assisted by McNulty and Danilchev, to restore the two-goal lead. Coady also blocked three shots, the most on the team.
Sophomore goaltender Liam Lane (Castle Rock, Colo.) recorded 24 saves for the win and kept the Eagles scoreless through the first 40 minutes. Post's Noah Caballero made 28 saves in the loss.
WestConn outshot Post 32-26 and won 39-of-76 faceoffs, with Curri going 10-8 at the dot. The Wolves' penalty kill allowed one goal on five Post power plays. WestConn went 0-for-4 on its own power play opportunities. With the victory, WestConn improved to 2-0 overall while Post sank to 0-2. The Wolves return to the ice when they travel to the University of Southern Maine for the Little East Conference opener for both squads on Friday at 7 p.m.
