READING, PA –The Wilkes men's ice hockey team fell 2-1 to the In the second game of a weekend road series at Alvernia University Sunday afternoon, splitting the weekend series after the 9-1 victory on Saturday.

The Colonels fall to 9-4-0 with the loss with a 7-3-0 record in UCHC play, while the Golden Wolves improve to 7-4-1 overall with a 6-4-0 record in conference play.

The first goal came less than a minute into the contest, as Alvernia's Logan Vande Meerakker scored at 26 seconds to give the Golden Wolves a 1-0 lead. He was assisted by Matthew Davies and Issac Chapman on the goal. Alvernia bested the Colonels in shots 18 to 14 and shots on goal 9 to 7 as they took their one goal lead into the first intermission.

Wilkes had most of the offensive chances in the second period, out-shooting Alvernia 22-20 and earning three power plays in the period. But it was the Golden Wolves who doubled their lead late in the second period, as Jordan Gagnon found the back of the net with 18:12 elapsed in the frame to give the home team a 2-0 lead, assisted by Gabriel Malek and Hunter Alden.

The Colonels got on the board with 13:16 left in the third period, as Cam Lowe (Lancaster, MA/) took advantage of their seventh power play of the day thanks to assists from Cole Jungwirth (Bloomington, MN/) and Billy Berry (Redding, CT) to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Colonels continued to pepper the Alvernia net, leading the period in shots on goal 18-14, but couldn't find the back of the net again and the Golden Wolves held on for the 2-1 victory.

The Colonels went 1-6 on the power play on the day but were bested in the faceoff circle by Alvernia 29-36. Berry led Wilkes with 12 faceoff wins. Patrick Roginski (Shelby Twp., MI/) led the Colonels with six shots on goal. Michael Paterson-Jones (Baldwinsville, NY/) made 36 saves in net for Wilkes.

Kyle Patton and Alden each won nine faceoffs for Alvernia, while Gagnon and Frazer Dodd led Alvernia with five shots on goal each. In net, Jackson Fellner made 39 saves on the day.

The Colonels hit the ice next in 2024, traveling to Arcadia University for a matchup with the Knights on Friday, January 12 at 3:30 p.m.