Box Score PITTSTON, PA (November 3, 2026) -- The King's College men's ice hockey team carried a lead into the closing minutes of regulation, but Neumann University scored twice in the final 2:32 to hand the Monarchs a 3-2 setback in the season and home opener Tuesday evening at the Revolution Ice Centre. King's opens the campaign at 0-1-0 overall and Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) play, while the Knights earned their first victory of the season to improve to 1-2-0 overall and 1-0-0 in conference action.
 
The Monarchs came out with energy in front of the home crowd and received a strong performance from both their defensive corps and goaltender Ben Williams throughout the opening period. Williams turned aside several early chances, while Justin Spurrell, Mikey Harrel Jr., Jayden Baldinelli, and Zane Burleigh each came up with timely blocked shots to help keep Neumann off the scoreboard.
 
King's broke through at the 8:00 mark of the first period with a momentum-shifting shorthanded goal. Just 11 seconds after the Monarchs were assessed an elbowing minor, a Neumann skater mishandled the puck at the blue line which was quickly recovered by Kevin Martin. Martin entered the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 rush with Gage Winter. Martin delivered a perfect backhand pass to Winter, who slipped a shot underneath the goaltender's glove for the first goal of his collegiate career as King's took a 1-0 lead at 8:00.
 
The Knights continued to pressure throughout the remainder of the first period, but Williams remained sharp between the pipes. The junior netminder denied a pair of dangerous opportunities from the slot late in the frame, while Harrel Jr. added another block in front of the crease to preserve the one-goal advantage heading into the intermission.
 
Neumann generated sustained offensive-zone time during the second period, forcing the defense into several key stops. Burleigh and Winter each sacrificed their bodies to block shots during an early Knights power play, while Williams came up with multiple saves through traffic. Despite the strong defensive effort, Neumann eventually found the equalizer at the 18:13 mark of the period, sending the teams into the second intermission even at 1-1.
 
King's responded midway through the third period to reclaim the lead when Justin Spurrell carried the puck into the offensive zone before dropping a pass to Jeremy Schoenborn. As Schoenborn attempted to toe-drag around a defender, the puck redirected off a Neumann skate and slid directly to a trailing Cristo Walker. Walker wasted little time firing a one-timer that beat the goaltender's right pad at 10:19, giving the Monarchs a 2-1 advantage.
 
The Knights raised the pressure level over the final ten minutes, but King's continued to answer defensively. Williams made a series of key saves from point-blank range, and Baldinelli blocked another shot during a critical sequence while the Monarchs protected their lead.
 
Neumann finally broke through on the power play with 2:32 remaining to tie the contest at 2-2. Just 1:23 later, the Knights found the go-ahead goal to erase King's lead and complete the comeback.
 
Williams was outstanding in his first action of the season, finishing with 38 saves and repeatedly keeping the Monarchs in front during long stretches of Neumann pressure. King's totaled 14 blocked shots on the night, led by Harrel Jr. and Baldinelli with three apiece. Winter and Burleigh each added two blocks as part of the team's committed defensive effort.
 
Winter and Walker supplied the Monarch goals, while Martin, Spurrell, and Schoenborn were credited with assists. Steven Armstrong led all King's skaters with five shots on goal, followed by Winter's three.
 
The Monarchs face their first road test of the regular season on Friday night when they travel to Reisterstown, MD for a MAC matchup with Stevenson University. Puck drop against the Mustangs from the Reisterstown Sportsplex is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.