COLMAR, Pa. ­­– Goaltender Chris Branch recorded a game-high 33 saves for the Lebanon Valley College men's ice hockey team, as the program battled tough while dropping a 3-0 contest to Arcadia University on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Hatfield Ice Arena. 

The Dutchmen were productive defensively early in the first period, as Jordan Stear and Anton Petrovskiy each blocked a shot by the Knights while Branch made a save within the first 2:05. Lebanon Valley's offense countered with shots on goal by Lukas Washco and Artur Kondrashov, which were saved within 11 seconds in the third minute. Back on the defensive end, Branch proceeded to deliver eight saves for the Flying Dutchmen over the next 9:24. The goaltender made three of these stops when the opposition had a 5-on-4 advantage, while making two saves when each team had four skaters on the ice, and tallying one save when the opposition had a 4-on-3 advantage. 

Collin Nolan generated an offensive opportunity for LVC 12:32 into the first period, taking a shot that was saved when each squad had four skaters on the ice. The Dutchmen also began a power play in the 15th minute, leading to Washco and Jesse Shogan each putting a shot on goal that was saved within five seconds in the 16th minute. Troy Andrews had a try saved during this stretch as well, at the 16:08 mark. Arcadia later started a power play in the 18th minute, and Lebanon Valley's defense responded with two saves by Branch and blocks by Stear, John King, and Owen Ames during a successful penalty kill. Branch then made his last save of the first frame with 38 seconds remaining. 

The Knights opened the scoring 1:04 into the second period, taking a 1-0 lead on a goal by Jude Cole. The programs followed this by trading shots, as each team put three shots on target that were saved over the next 5:18. During this stretch, Artur Kondrashov, Peyton Myers, and Max Kontir each registered an attempt for the Dutchmen. On the defensive end, Branch logged four more saves while Artem Kondrashov, Washco, and Cade Helmer each had a block over the next 5:10. 

Lebanon Valley kept sending the puck toward the net as the second period went on, recording nine more shots on goal that were saved during the rest of the frame. The program started a power play in the 15th minute, prompting Kontir to tally an attempt at the 14:19 mark and Stear to take a shot at the 15:12 mark. The Dutchmen also began a power play in the 19th minute, leading to shots by Helmer, Mason Proskin, and Ames during this stretch. 

The Flying Dutchmen kept working to create scoring chances when the third period got underway, as King and Artur Kondrashov each had shots on target saved during the first 2:27. Arcadia found the net again 3:07 into the final frame, taking a 2-0 advantage on a power-play goal by Bryce Battaglia. Lebanon Valley's offense followed this by putting seven shots on goal that were saved over the next 6:04. The squad took three of these shots during a power play, as Andrews had two attempts and Helmer had one try within 26 seconds in the sixth minute. 

Branch also continued his efforts to limit the opposition, coming through with saves for the Dutchmen at the 10:35, 11:59, and 12:55 marks. The goaltender posted four stops within 47 seconds in the 15th minute as well. LVC's offense proceeded to keep batting as the third period rolled on, as Ames took a shot that was saved at the 16:33 mark, while Petrovskiy and Helmer each had tries saved within 39 seconds in the 18th minute. The Knights then added a tally on an empty net goal by Cody Mastay, prompting 3-0 to be the final score.

Inside the Box Score

• Branch made a game-high 33 saves for the Dutchmen. 
• Lebanon Valley put 32 shots on goal. 
• Artur Kondrashov led the team with four shots on target. 
• Helmer, Kontir, and Andrews also tallied three shots each. 
• Defensively, the Flying Dutchmen blocked 14 shots. 
• Stear, Ames, and King blocked two shots each, tying for the most on the team. Ames tied his season-high in blocks. 
• LVC recorded 32 faceoff victories. 
• Kontir led the program with 12 faceoff wins. 

Up Next
Lebanon Valley has concluded its schedule for the first semester. The Flying Dutchmen will return to the ice on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, at 7 p.m., against King's College at the Revolution Ice Centre in Pittston, Pa. 

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