WORCESTER, Mass. - The Neumann University men's ice hockey team returned to the ice after the holiday break on Monday afternoon, picking up a 5-2 win on the road at Assumption College in non-conference action.
 
Luke Croucher scored twice for the Knights in the win, while Nick Martino chipped in with a goal and an assist. Dillon Manchester and Tyler Kulas also scored for Neumann, who received 36 saves in net from Kyle Pantalone.
 
Neumann blitzed Assumption in the opening period with a barrage of offense. Using 14 first frame shots, the Knights found the back of the net three times. Croucher paced the visitors in the opening stanza with the first two markers of the contest to put Neumann up by a pair at the 12:40 mark of the period. Manchester then added to the Knights' momentum late in the period by tallying off a feed from Dionne Demke to take a 3-0 advantage into the intermission.
 
Assumption took the play to the visitors for much of the second stanza, but superb goaltending from Pantalone kept the Neumann three goal lead intact until late in the period. The senior net-minder made 15 saves in the frame before Kulas added a fourth goal to the scoreboard for the Knights to make it 4-0 at the 15:48 mark. The Greyhounds were finally able to break through and solve Pantalone as the period was winding down. The hosts lit the lamp with just 1:37 left in the frame to make it 4-1 moving to the third.
 
Assumption continued to battle back early in the third, scoring 57 seconds into the period on the power play to cut the Neumann lead to 4-2. The Knights shut things down from there though, keeping the Greyhounds at bay for the remainder of the contest. Midway through the frame, the visitors iced the game through Martino, who scored at the 9:51 mark to seal the 5-2 non-conference win.
 
Neumann (5-6-1) will get right back to action tomorrow afternoon for a rematch at Assumption. Game-time is scheduled for 12:30 PM.