Hartford surrendered an early two-goal lead and lost 3-2 at Western New England, settling into the No. 6 seed in the Conference of New England playoffs. The Hawks will travel Saturday to face the No. 3 seed, which has yet to be determined.

By the Numbers
  • Final score: Western New England 3, Hartford 2.
  • Hartford led 2-0 before the Golden Bears scored once just before halftime and twice in the first five minutes after the break.
  • Western New England outshot Hartford 25-7 and put 13 shots on target to Hartford’s 2.
  • Hartford goalkeeper Cristian Vitti made 10 saves.
Yes, But

Hartford started quickly, with Ron Palillo scoring in the first two minutes, and Eddie Hageman doubled the lead in the 40th. But the Hawks were outshot heavily and couldn’t recover after Western New England’s quick second-half turnaround.

What’s Next

Hartford opens the CNE playoffs on the road Saturday against the No. 3 seed.

Bottom Line

Hartford’s two-goal start wasn’t enough to overcome a decisive shift in momentum; the Hawks now need a stronger defensive response in a win-or-go-home playoff game.