PITTSTON, PA (JANUARY 11, 2025) – The King's College men's ice hockey team fell 5-3 to the Flying Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley College at Revolution Ice Centre on Saturday night. With the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) loss, the Monarchs drop to 3-10-0, 2-8-0 in conference play as Lebanon Valley improves to 6-7-1, 5-4-1. First year Thomas Soucy scored two goals on the night.

Lebanon Valley had a dominant first period in which they scored four goals. Harris Blackwood notched the first of the night for the Dutchmen at 3:11 with an assist from Jordan Steer. Darion Benchich scored two back-to-back goals, the first at 5:08 off assists from Cade Freer and Cade Helmer and the second at 9:50 with assists from Blackwood and Helmer. Freer and Benchich combined to assist Helmer with his own goal at 17:37. Lebanon Valley closed out the period with a cross checking penalty on Ian Lindberg at 18:03. The 4-0 score stood in favor of the dutchmen going into the first intermission.

The Monarchs answered back in the second as Luke Babilon scored midway through the period with an assist from Patrick Nowak. Cameron Croteau was penalized for hooking at 14:12, resulting in a power play goal for Thomas Soucy at 13:51 with an assist from Jakub Viedemann.

Blackwood gave the Dutchmen the 5-2 lead with a goal at 3:30 in the third period off assists from Benchich and Steer. Tanner Tolliver and Viedemann were both penalized at 2:45, the first for cross checking and the second for unsportsmanlike conduct. With help from Kent Lee and Ethan Hersant, Soucy scored his second goal of the night at 17:20 to make the score 5-3 at the end of regulation.

Matt Bidini got the start in net, saving six before Diego D'Alessandro took over midway through the first period. He concluded the night with 24, making that 30 saves total between the two. Ethan Hersant went 22-20 in faceoffs and Soucy tallied two blocks.

The Monarchs are back this Tuesday, January 14 for a matchup with the Mustangs of SUNY Morrisville. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the Revolution Ice Centre.