FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Indiana Tech men's hockey team opened up their 2023-24 season with a home and away series against No. 13 ranked Grand Valley State University, where the No. 8 ranked Warriors would drop both games, falling to 0-2 to start the year.

On Friday, Indiana Tech hosted the Lakers at the SportONE/Parkview Icehouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Scoreless through one period of play, the Lakers would strike first just four minutes into the second to take the 1-0 lead. Tech would strike back about eight minutes later to tie it at one when Francesco Santaniello, the sophomore from Boston, Massachusetts, scored the first goal of Tech's 2023-24 campaign, coming off assists from Pavel Svoboda and Connor Funke. Grand Valley would score in the final minute of the second period to take a 2-1 lead to the third. Despite the Warriors outshooting the Lakers 14 to 9 in the third period, Tech would not find the game tying goal. Grand Valley would add an empty netter late to finish off the Warriors, winning 3-1. Ty Barnhill would make 29 saves in goal, picking up the loss.

On Saturday, Tech traveled to Grand Rapids for the second of the back-to-back games against Grand Valley State. The Lakers got off to a strong start, going up 2-0 after one. They would also add another just under two minutes into the second to go up 3-0. Tech would battle back with two straight powerplay goals courtesy of Avery Smith and Aidan Dufort to bring the Warriors back within one. A costly shorthanded goal in the third period would give Grand Valley a two-goal cushion once again. Pavel Svoboda would score two minutes later to cut the Lakers lead to one, but Grand Valley would capitalize on a powerplay with nine minutes to go, bringing their lead back up to two, leading 5-3. Michael Dalaly would score for the Warriors with 2:28 to go but could not find another one as they would fall to the Lakers 5-4. Braedyn Funke would make 28 saves in net for the Warriors in the loss.

Indiana Tech starts the year at 0-2 and will now get ready for a home and away series with Kent State University. Tech will be at home on Friday, October 6^th for their homecoming game starting at 8pm and will travel to Kent, Ohio on Saturday for a 7:40pm start.