ACDC B Pioneers Show Playoff Ready Resilience in Rivalry Battle vs. Fairfield and Statement Win at Ramapo
Sacred Heart Men's Club Hockey closed the regular season with an intense weekend that felt like playoff hockey from the opening faceoff. On Saturday, February 14 (Valentine's Day)Â at the Martire Family Arena, theÂ
Pioneers hosted Fairfield University in a match up that is always emotional, an MCHC divisional rival and a true cross-town rivalry. The game was fast, physical, and played at a high pace throughout.
Sacred Heart struck first when #13
Scott Podstupka scored a shorthanded goal early to put the Pioneers up 1–0. Fairfield responded with three goals to take a 3–1 lead, but Sacred Heart answered late in the period when #21
Joey Letizia scored unassisted with a gorgeous high-slot release to make it 3–2 after one.Â
Fairfield extended the lead early in the second to make it 4–2, but #7 Tim Ouellette finished a key goal off a setup from #20 Ben Bajzath Jr. to cut it to 4–3. Fairfield pushed it to 5–3, yet Sacred Heart refused to fade — and with just seven seconds left in the second period, Ouellette scored again on a centering pass from Letizia, bringing the Pioneers within one (5–4) heading to the third.Â
The final period was end-to-end, with #31
Tyler Armagan making several outstanding saves to keep Sacred Heart within striking distance. Fairfield made it 6–4 midway through the third, but with the goalie pulled, Podstupka scored his second unassisted to make it 6–5 late. Sacred Heart pressed for the equalizer, but time ran out in a 6–5 loss to the top team in the MCHC Atlantic — a game the Pioneers were in until the final moments.
Scoring vs Fairfield
Ramapo College (Away) — Season-Ending Statement Win in OT Shootout, 6–5
On Sunday, February 15, the Pioneers traveled to Ice Vault Arena (NJ) for a 7:45 PM puck drop against Ramapo College, closing the regular season in a building packed for Ramapo's senior night. Sacred Heart entered with motivation after a prior 8–3 loss earlier in the season, and while Ramapo came out flying to build a 3–0 first-period lead, the Pioneers didn't flinch.
Sacred Heart erupted in the second. #23
Chris Hahn scored by crashing the net and finishing a rebound, assisted by #6
Evan Vadola and #13
Scott Podstupka. Minutes later, #23
Chris Hahn struck again with a rocket from the high slot, assisted by #28
Ben Hepler. Sacred Heart kept applying pressure, and with five minutes left in the second, #7 Tim Ouellette hammered home a one-timer off a laser cross-ice feed from #20 Ben Bajzath Jr. Then, in the closing seconds of the period, #19 Cam Souza scored by battling at the net front and finishing another rebound, assisted by #24 Josh Bertelli, giving Sacred Heart a 4–3 lead going into the third.Â
In the final frame, #31
Tyler Armagan made huge saves to protect the lead as both teams traded chances. Ramapo tied the game late on a power-play goal, sending the contest to a 3-on-3 overtime and then a shootout. #7 Ouellette scored in the shootout to put Sacred Heart ahead, Ramapo answered, and then #28 Hepler buried a beautiful shot off the pipe in the final round. Armagan sealed the win with a massive save on Ramapo's final attempt, delivering a dramatic 6–5 shootout victory, the kind of finish that can launch a team into postseason play with confidence.
Scoring vs Ramapo
Head Coach
Steve Minichini said, "This weekend was a perfect snapshot of who we are and what we're becoming. Against Fairfield, we played with purpose, we managed momentum, and we stayed connected even when the game got chaotic, that's hard to do in a rivalry game. At Ramapo, down 3–0 in their building on senior night, our response was pure team hockey: we simplified, won our shifts, got bodies to the hard areas, and trusted each other. That's resilience, not emotion, not speeches, resilience built on habits. Tyler was outstanding when we needed him most, our leaders made big plays, and the bench never splintered for a second. If we bring that identity into the playoffs, we're going to be a tough out."
Sacred Heart now turns the page to the postseason, preparing for a Friday, February 20 Round 1 playoff matchup against Stony Brook University, a team the Pioneers are 1–1 against this season.
Photo Credit: @filmsreese
