Worcester, Mass. (November 14) -- In Northeast-10 Conference play on Friday night, the Assumption College ice hockey team dropped a 3-2 home final to visiting Stonehill College at Buffone Arena. The Hounds scored early in the third to cut the deficit to just one, but were unable to net the equalizer as the team dropped its first league game of the season.

Stonehill got on the board just 2:44 into the game as senior Stephen Balsamo scored off an assist from freshman Tommy Newton for the early 1-0 edge. Assumption answered in the opening minute of the second with an even-strength score off the stick of Northeast-10 Rookie of the Week Tommy Mahoney (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) to tie the game at 1-1. Mahoney's goal, his first collegiate tally, came just 59 seconds into the period and was assisted on by junior Pat Trainor (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) and freshman James Moore (Medford, Mass./Medford).

The teams entered the final minute of the period locked in a 1-1 tie before the Skyhawks scored twice in a span of just seven seconds to take the 3-1 lead heading to the third. Both goals came off the stick of junior Anthony D'Elia and were assisted on by senior Brendan Greene, including a power-play score with 46 seconds left in the period. The third goal came on a one-handed flick by D'Elia as he was holding off an Assumption defender with his left side before registering the eventual game-winning score with his right hand.

Early on in the third, the Hounds started quick again as junior Brandon Bete (Greenfield, Mass./Northfield Mount Hermon) picked up his second goal of the season to cut the lead to 3-2 with 17:39 left. Sophomore Ryan Gomez (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) picked off a Stonehill pass near the blue line and found Bete for the score. The assist was the third of the season for Gomez as the Hounds went on to drop the eventual 3-2 final.

The teams battled evenly throughout the remainder of the third period as the Hounds held a slight 12-11 edge in the shots on goal for the period. For the game, Stonehill held a 40-35 advantage in shots on goal as the two teams combined to be just 1-for-9 on the power play.

Junior Chris Hemhauser (Old Saybrook, Conn./Glastonbury) made 37 saves in the loss, while senior Chris Tasiopoulos turned aside 33 shots while earning the win.

With the loss, Assumption drops to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in Northeast-10 play, while Stonehill is now 1-2-1 overall and 1-0 in the league.

Assumption is back in action on Wednesday, November 19th as the Hounds host Franklin Pierce for a 7:30 start at Buffone Arena.

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