RUTLAND, Vt. – The Castleton men's hockey team hosted Johnson & Wales University in NEHC play Saturday afternoon, allowing a pair of goals in the first and second periods in a 4-1 loss.
 
Grady Birk was the lone goal scorer for the Spartans (4-11-0, 2-6-0 NEHC), tallying his first goal as a Spartan in the second period, while Dominic Rodrigue made 38 saves in the loss. Neither team was able to covert with the man advantage, with Castleton holding the Wildcats scoreless on their five opportunities while the Spartans failed to score on any of their nine powerplay chances.
 
Johnson & Wales (2-11-1, 1-7-0 NEHC) jumped out to an early lead with goals at the 8:23 and 12:44 marks to take a 2-0 advantage into the first break. The lead ballooned to three before Birk's goal halfway through the second period made it a two-score game once again. The junior is the 15^th different Spartan to find the back of the net this season to go along with his one assist from the team's earlier win over Saint Michael's.
 
A goal late in the second from the Wildcats extended their lead back to three, and despite holding a 12-10 shot advantage in the final frame, Castleton's comeback efforts fell short in their third straight loss.
 
The Spartans return to action Friday, January 13 for a matchup against Skidmore College, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m.