Danbury, CT & Burrillville, RI — October 18–19, 2025
The Sacred Heart University Men's ACHA ACDC B Club Ice Hockey Team experienced a weekend of growth, overcoming adversity and learning valuable lessons after a tough Friday night loss followed by a determined, hard-earned victory on Saturday.
Friday Night: Lessons Learned in Danbury
Friday's matchup against Western Connecticut State University at Danbury Ice Arena started under less-than-ideal circumstances, but once the puck dropped, the focus quickly shifted to hockey. Sacred Heart came out strong and held the lead for most of the game behind goals from #13 Scott Podstupka (assisted by #8 Drew Scalice), #28 Ben Hepler (assisted by #20 Ben Bajzath Jr.), #12 Shane Pourmaleki (unassisted), and another from Hepler (assisted by #21 Joey Letizia).
Despite their strong start, penalties proved costly. The Pioneers spent much of the third period shorthanded, allowing Western Connecticut to capitalize on three power-play goals and rally for a 5–4 win. It was a frustrating outcome for Sacred Heart — one that underscored the importance of discipline and composure.
Head Coach Steve Minichini reflected, "We're a talented and deep team, but success depends on playing smart, controlled hockey. Friday night reminded us that we can't beat ourselves."
Saturday Night: Redemption in Rhode Island
Determined to bounce back, the Pioneers regrouped quickly and traveled to the June Rockwell Levy Rink in Rhode Island on Saturday night to face Nichols College. From the opening shift, Sacred Heart looked composed, focused, and united in purpose.
Though the Pioneers dominated puck possession and held Nichols to just five shots in the first period, they trailed 1–0 after twenty minutes. Their persistence paid off in the second when #4 Kennedy Bleau scored his first of the season with a sharp wrist shot over the goaltender's shoulder to tie the game 1–1.
Nichols responded with two quick goals to make it 3–1, but Sacred Heart kept their foot on the gas. With two minutes left in the second period, Assistant Captain #18 Evan Kolb scored off a pass from #20 Chris Hahn, cutting the deficit to one.
In the third period, Sacred Heart took over. #28 Ben Hepler tied the game with an unassisted goal, and moments later #7 Tim Ouellette put the Pioneers ahead with an assist from #20 Ben Bajzath Jr. Nichols managed to equalize late to force overtime, but with just one minute remaining in the extra frame, Ouellette buried the game-winner off a setup from #32 Wyatt Shea, sealing a thrilling 5–4 overtime win.
Goaltender #30 Jaiden Cavallo improved to 2–0 on the season, making key saves that kept Sacred Heart in control throughout the night. Importantly, the Pioneers were only shorthanded once — a night-and-day improvement that gave them the edge they needed to finish strong.
After the win, Assistant Captain Evan Kolb reflected:

"We knew we had to look inward after last night's loss and refocus on what makes us successful — our effort, communication, and commitment to each other. Tonight, we played with purpose and discipline from start to finish. This victory was huge for our team and our program, and it shows we're heading in the right direction."

The weekend perfectly captured the highs and lows of competition — frustration turned into focus, and focus turned into success. Sacred Heart proved that when the team plays disciplined, confident hockey, they can compete with anyone.

Photo Credit: @filmsreese