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FAIRFIELD, Conn.- The Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team is back on the ice after a brief three day break as they travel to face Bentley for a two-game series beginning Friday at 7:05 p.m.
Last Time Out... The Pioneers are coming off a tight 3-2 loss to RIT on January 11. RIT scored three unanswered goals heading into the third period before Ryan Steele and Andrius Kulbis-Marino each scored in the closing minutes of the game. RIT was able to hold off the Pioneer attack in the final seconds resulting in the loss.
Last Meeting... The last time the Pioneers encountered the Falcons came on February 16, 2021 when SHU fell to Bentley 5-4 in overtime. Austin Magera sent the game into overtime late in the third period with a goal but the Falcons struck in overtime 25 seconds into the period.
Scouting The Falcons... Bentley enters this weekends series with a 10-8-0 overall record and a 8-4-0 AHA record which sits them first in the league. They are coming off a 4-1 loss to Merrimack that came on January 8. Leading the team on offense is Drew Bavaro who leads the team in goals, assists and points. The teams top goalie sits Evan DeBrouwer who holds a record of 5-1-0 and a 1.71 GAA.
Hockey Runs in the Family.... Growing up through high school and his hockey career, there was no shortage of role models to look up to for first-year Conner Hutchison. His sister Cailey is a graduate of the University of Maine where she skated for four years and now plays for the local Premiere Hockey Federation team, CT Whale. Meanwhile his brother Nick comes from Atlantic Hockey roots where he skated for Canisius from 2016-2020. He currently skates for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League.
Shea Streak.... Junior Neil Shea keeps driving the Pioneers as he is currently on a seven game point streak. In the team's last game at RIT, he tallied a pair of assists on January 11. He currently leads the team in points with 14 and assists with 10.
Tuck For Hobey... Junior forward Braeden Tuck, has been nominated for the 2022 Hobey Baker Award.
Tuck is one of 77 nominees for the award, and one of nine from Atlantic Hockey. In its 41st year, the Hobey Baker Award is presented annually to the top NCAA Division I men's ice hockey player.
The team captain is second on the squad in points with 13 as he has accumulated a career-high seven goals and six assists. Last season, he earned a spot on the Second-Team All-AHA. In his freshman season he was named Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year and selected to the First-Team All-AHA for his incredible 23 assist, five goal season.
CT Ice is Back!.... SNY announced that Connecticut Ice is returning to Bridgeport, Conn. The tournament featuring Connecticut's four NCAA Division I Men's Collegiate hockey teams - Quinnipiac University, Sacred Heart University, University of Connecticut and Yale University will take place Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30, 2022 at Webster Bank Arena.
The inaugural Connecticut Ice Festival took place January 24-26, 2020. Sacred Heart was crowned champions, winning the first-ever tournament of Connecticut's four NCAA Division I Men's Collegiate hockey teams. Alumni Jason Cotton was named the tournament MVP as he registered two goals and two assists. The Championship game was the finale of an action-packed festival for more than 700 youth and amateur participants with more than 50 hours of live hockey which included competitive games, clinics, and a Mites Jamboree. The 2021 tournament was postponed due to COVID 19.
