Brandon Pers had two goals and two assists, including a shorthanded game-winner late in the second period, as Sacred Heart University beat the University of Delaware 4-2 on Sunday at Martire Family Arena. Pers entered the game with one goal in one game this season.
Sacred Heart scored first when Ryan Conroy finished a feed from Pers with 13:35 left in the first period. Delaware tied it at 1 with 9:28 remaining on Ryan Bacon’s goal, assisted by James Nicolaidis. Sacred Heart went back ahead on the power play with 6:49 left in the period when Brady Marszalek scored from Pers and Zach MacLeod. Marszalek, who had a goal and three assists in the opener, finished with a goal and an assist.
The second period produced only one goal. With Sacred Heart killing a penalty, Pers scored shorthanded off an assist from Marszalek with 2:07 left in the frame for a 3-1 lead that stood as the game-winner.
Delaware pulled within one when Michael Romano scored with 7:26 left in regulation, assisted by Alex Birchard. Sacred Heart answered 58 seconds later. Pers scored his second goal of the game, set up by Conroy, with 6:28 remaining to restore the two-goal margin. Conroy ended the night with a goal and an assist.
Christian Gonsalves made 40 saves on 42 shots for the win in Sacred Heart’s net. Gavin Schornstein stopped 42 of 46 shots in the loss for Delaware. Sacred Heart improved to 1-0-1 after opening its season with a tie, while Delaware falls to 0-1-0 in its first game and will look for its first win in its next outing.
