The Saints men’s hockey team finally got its first win in league play as they beat the Brown Bears last Friday, January 26, 3-2. The Bears first scored 1:47 into the game on a power play, after Bo Hanson ’21 took an interference penalty 56 seconds into the game. Brown’s Zach Giuttari took a slap shot from the left point that deflected off the blocker of goalie Art Brey ’19 and into the back of the net. The Saints answered five minutes later when Alex Glimour ’20 deflected his fifth goal of the year off a shot from Cameron White ’21. After both teams traded chances through the rest of the period, the teams entered the locker room tied 1-1.

Brown’s second and final goal of the game came at 15:22 in the second frame. Alec Mehr picked up the puck and tucked it short side after Brey made the initial save on Max Gottlieb. Carson Gicewicz ’19 scored his first goal of the night exactly two minutes later when he put a wrist shot under the Bears goaltender Luke Kania’s glove to tie the game.

Gicewicz scored his second, and eventual game winning goal, with 4:35 left in the game. After picking up the puck in the defensive zone, Gicewicz caught a Bear defender sleeping and created a two-on-one with Mike Marnell ’18. Gicewicz eventually looked off Marnell and ripped the puck top corner over Kania’s right shoulder. Brown pulled Kania with 2:08 left, but the Saints held off the Bears’ continuous pressure, especially Brey who made key saves late in the game.

The following evening, the Saints looked to build momentum off their first ECAC win of the year as they faced the Yale Bulldogs, who coming into the contest were 9-10-1 overall and 6-8-1 in the ECAC.

After a back-and-forth opening period, the Saints and Bulldogs skated into the locker room tied 0-0. Brey had 13 first period saves, while Bulldogs goaltender Corbin Kaczperski had 9. Exactly 10 minutes into the second period, the stalemate was broken. The Saints were granted a power play after Yale’s Anthony Walsh took a hooking penalty. It took only 6 seconds for the Saints to score the first and only goal of the game.

The Saints won the ensuing faceoff, and the puck popped out to Hanson along the sideboards. He swiftly passed the puck over to his defensive partner fellow Jake Stevens ’21, who was positioned along the middle of the blue line. Stevens took a quick wrist shot then Glimour, who was battling in front of the net, tipped it, which made the puck slide underneath Kaczperski’s pad. Brey and the Saints defense took over from that point on. After the second period ended, Brey had 21 saves, some of which were outstanding.

The defensive focus continued throughout the third period, especially when the Saints were pinned in their own defensive zone at several points during the period. Yale was awarded a late power play after Philip Alftberg ’21 took a hooking penalty with 1:32 left in the game. Yale also pulled Kaczperski to make it 6 on 4. The Saints’ penalty kill shut down the Bulldogs, and SLU came away with the 1-0 victory. Brey finished with a career-high 53 saves, while Kaczperski had 27.

The Saints start February by heading on the road to face Princeton and Quinnipiac this weekend. They hope to continue the momentum and start preparing for the playoff push.