MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – The New England College men's ice hockey team dropped a close matchup at Salve Regina University on Friday at Salve Regina in non-conference action.  

THE BASICS 
Score: New England College: 2, Salve Regina University: 3 
Records: Pilgrims: 2-8-1, 1-4-1 NEHC|Seahawks: 6-4-3, 2-2-1 NEWMAC 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Seahawks stepped on the gas early as they got three shots off in the first minute and a half. Matthew Brunton took one, Arvega Hovsepyan tried to bury one on the rebound. Just nine seconds later, Brunton would score to give Salve Regina an early 1-0 lead. 
• The Pilgrims answered towards the end of the first as sophomore forward Jack Herron (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) hit the net to tie the game at one off an assist from senior forward Jesper Tarkiainen (Naperville, Ill.). 
• A minute and a half later, Tarkiainen and Herron made it happen again as it was Tarkiainen who scored this time around to give the duo a combined four points just 17 minutes into the game while the Pilgrims went into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead. 
• The Grims held the lead for six and a half minutes as Josh Kroon lit the lamp off a pass from Quinn Tavares before Hovsepyan gave the Seahawks a 3-2 advantage just three minutes later. 
• The two teams traded chances until the Pilgrims emptied the net to take a one-man advantage. Sophomore forward Dylan Duckson (Mahtomedi, Minn.) won a late faceoff to give the Grims the puck with just a minute left to play. Tarkiainen tried for his second goal of the game before two shots from sophomore center Paul Waldhauser (Klagenfurt, Austria). Logan Calder won the final faceoff with five seconds left to seal the Seahawks win. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Freshman goaltender Anthony Beaulieu (Lawrence, Mass.) made 30 saves on 33 attempts with a .909 save percentage. 
• Cayden Bailey made 22 saves on 24 attempts for a .917 save percentage. 
• Shots on goal were 33-24 in favor of the Seahawks. 
• Tavares led the game with two assists. Herron and Tarkiainen each assisted on each other's goals. The three all led the game with two points on the night. 

UP NEXT 

• The two teams play again on Saturday with a 6:30 PM puck drop. 

For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.