FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team opened the Martire Family Arena for the 2025-26 season on Saturday evening with an exhibition against Hockey East foe Merrimack, falling by a 3-0 final score.
Despite the defeat, the Pioneers achieved some promising results. SHU outshot the Warriors by a 25-22 margin and finished with a 2-for-2 record on the penalty kill.
How It Happened:
The Warriors jumped out to an early lead, 3:45 into the game, with a strike from Joseph Henneberry. The first year was the recipient of a Michael Emerson assist on an odd-man rush, making it 1-0.
SHU controlled the action in the middle of the period, owning a 6-3 lead in shots over the next 11:25, but the visitors held the Pios without a goal. However, Merrimack added another score at 15:10 to make it 2-0.
The second period proved to be a defensive battle, as neither team scored in the frame. SHU sent two people to the penalty box in the second, but held Merrimack to just two shots in two successful kills.
Felix Trudeau led the way for SHU with four shots, with his attempt that found a sliding goaltender's left pad early in the third standing as the team's best scoring chance of the night.
Noah Ellis and
Michael Rubin both finished behind Trudeau with three shots each.
Unfortunately for the home team, Merrimack scored a third and final goal at 2:31 in the third to ice a 3-0 victory.
Between the pipes for the Pioneers,
Ajeet Gundarah turned away 19 shots in his first game action as a sophomore.
Notes:
Up Next:
The Pioneers welcome Simon Fraser (B.C.) tomorrow for a 4 p.m. scrimmage at the Martire Family Arena.
