AMHERST, Mass. (October 18, 2024) – For a new-look Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team in search of an early-season signature win, Friday night could not come soon enough. After a strong showing last Saturday, with a tie and shootout win at Colgate, the Pioneers were eager to get after it on the second weekend of the season. Get after it they did, on the road against No. 15/17 nationally ranked Massachusetts, at the Mullins Center.
 
SHU (1-1-1) built up to a 4-1 lead on a goal by Mikey Adamson (Quincy, Mass.) early in the third, and Cullen DeYoung (Canton, Mich.) made 18 saves in the second and seven more in the third as part of a 33-save night, as the Pios pulled off a 4-3 upset over their Hockey East opponent.

"It was a gutsy effort for our group," said head coach C.J. Marottolo after the game. "We took advantage of some opportunities we had; we were on our heels in the second period. They really came at us and I'm proud of how we bent and didn't break."
 
After the teams traded goals in the first period, including the first collegiate goal for Charles Tardif (Quebec City, Quebec), UMass (2-2-0) posted an 18-4 shots advantage in the second stanza, but it was SHU which scored the frame's two goals. At 14:53, Gabe Blanchard (East Aurora, N.Y.) took a shot from the right point which was turned aside, but Reid Pabich (Verona, Wis.) jumped on the rebound at the left post for his first goal in a SHU uniform, which put the red and white out front to stay.
 
Less than four minutes later, SHU pushed the lead out to 3-1 before the second period was over. Pabich had the helper this side, with a feed off the left half-wall which targeted Paul Minnehan (Cypress, Calif.) in the slot. The latter got his stick to the puck for a one-handed redirect over the shoulder of Michael Hrabal for his first collegiate score.
 
Adamson provided the dagger against his former team just 27 seconds into the third. Felix Trudeau (Terrebonne, Quebec) knocked the puck loose to Jake Bongo (Ridgefield, Conn.) on the left-wing side of the UMass net. Bongo shuttled it up to Adamson at the left point. The latter maneuvered his way down the left-wing boards and snapped home a shot for his first of the season.
 
The Minutemen made a strong push late. Just after the midpoint of the third, Cam O'Neill tipped home a shot from the left point by Lucas Olvestad for his first of the year, at 10:09. UMass pulled Hrabal for the extra attacker late and pulled within a goal at 18:03. Dans Locmelis did the heavy lifting down low on the right side and sent a pass across the top of the crease to Owen Murray, who put it away at the left post.
 
With that, it was gut-check time, and SHU may have found the oxygen getting thin. The Pios dug in though, and allowed just one further shot on goal, which DeYoung turned aside to finish off the upset.

"That team over there, they are very good on the rush, very good in transition," added Marottolo. "They gave us fits all night. At the end of the day, we came out with a W and I'm proud of our effort. Time to regroup and get ready for tomorrow."
 
DeYoung (1-1-1) finished with 33 saves against 36 shots to pick up his first collegiate win in the SHU crease. Hrabal (1-2-0) stopped just 13 of 17 in a losing effort for UMass.
 
The two teams wrap up their weekend series at SHU on Saturday night. Puck drop for Sacred Heart's home opener is 7 p.m. at Martire Family Arena in Fairfield.