READING, PA (January 30, 2026) -- The King's College men's ice hockey team secured points in their second-straight game after shutting out Alvernia University 2-0 in their Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) showdown, Friday night at the Body Zone Sports and Wellness Complex. The Monarchs climb to 3-14-2 on the campaign and 3-10-2 in the MAC, while the Golden Wolves fall to 11-8-0 overall and 9-6-0 in conference play.
 
The King's defense faced immediate pressure in the opening period, as Alvernia sent a pair of shots wide before forcing goaltender Ben Williams to make his first save of the evening less than a minute into the contest. The Monarchs responded with Zane Burleigh and Landon Bechtolt both putting pucks on net, however the game remained scoreless through the first five.
 
Williams continued to be tested in the early stages of the period, standing tall to deny a pair of scoring chances. He received some help from Kevin Martin, who got in the shooting lane for King's first blocked shot of the night.
 
Two overlapping Alvernia penalties created a brief 5-on-3 man advantage for the Monarchs midway through the first frame, but a strong penalty kill kept the power play unit off the board as play returned to even strength.
 
Mikey Harrel Jr. showcased his full 200-foot game when he put a shot on goal before transitioning back to the defensive zone and laying out for a block.
 
After King's was whistled for a penalty in the final minute of the period, Alvernia nearly broke the deadlock when a late shot rang off the iron with just two seconds remaining. Both teams headed to the locker room still searching for the night's first goal.
 
The Golden Wolves got to work in the second period with 1:34 left in their power play. Williams proved up to the task, denying two scoring bids to kill off the penalty and keep the game scoreless. The pace of play picked up after returning to five-aside hockey, with both teams registering shots on goal in a back-and-forth stretch of action.
 
A tenacious forecheck on a dump-in paid off for the Monarchs as the team quickly established possession in the offensive zone. Picking up the puck behind the goal, Thomas Soucy roped a centering pass to Teodor Benno Vaage at the blue line. Benno Vaage unleashed a blistering wrist shot that Braydon Buckingham was able to deflect past the goalie while setting a screen in front of the net. Buckingham lit the lamp at 6:04 for his first of the season with Benno Vaage and Soucy picking up assists on the 1-0 tally.
 
Following the goal, both teams traded offensive surges. Williams turned aside a pair of shots while Harrel Jr. got in the way of a third attempt, preserving the one-goal lead. Play transitioned to the Monarchs' zone after Alvernia headed back to the penalty kill. Grant Parshall, Cristo Walker and Benno Vaage all put pucks on net during the man advantage, but all three were denied by the Alvernia netminder.
 
King's took a minor penalty around the midway point of the contest, opening the door for the Golden Wolves to pull themselves even. Williams protected his crease while his team was down a man, making four saves to kill off the penalty as Walker contributed to the defensive effort with a blocked shot.
 
Alvernia continued to buzz around their offensive zone after the power play expired, sending a barrage of shots at the Monarch goal. The King's netminder made two more saves during the surge and received some support from Denys Arkhypenko, who laid out to block another shot. The Golden Wolves almost found the back of the net at 15:33, but the shot hit the post for the second time in as many periods.
 
The clock ticked down to zero, halting Alvernia's relentless push as King's held onto its 1-0 lead with 20 minutes still to play.

Bennett Anklewich, Jayden Baldinelli and Soucy all registered shots on goal early in the third period, but to no avail. At the other end of the ice, Williams continued his stellar outing with a trio of saves between the sixth and seventh minutes of action.
 
Justin Spurrell, Armstrong, Harrel Jr. and Martin tilted the ice back in King's favor with scoring chances of their own around the midway point of the final frame, but were unable to extend the lead.
 
A late penalty put the Golden Wolves on the ropes, forcing them to defend their own zone while still in search of the game-tying marker. The Monarchs were methodical with the puck, carefully cycling through the offensive zone in order to avoid a costly turnover. With less than a minute remaining in regulation, Armstrong delivered the final blow with a power play goal off a feed from Soucy to put King's up by a score of 2-0.
 
Alvernia pulled their goaltender with 29 seconds left in the period, but couldn't generate a shot as the Monarchs closed out their 2-0 victory.
 
Buckingham scored the eventual game-winner while Armstrong netted an insurance marker. He also led King's in the faceoff department with 10 wins. Soucy collected a pair of assists while Benno Vaage picked up a helper of his own.
 
Harrel Jr. led the Monarch defense with two blocked shots. Williams put an exclamation point on a stellar defensive showing, making 43 saves to earn his second career shutout.
 
The Monarchs are back in action tomorrow night, making the short trip to the Toyota SportsPlex for a battle with Misericordia University. Puck drop against the Cougars is slated for 7:00 p.m.