MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The Morrisville State Men's Ice Hockey team picked up their first win of the 2016-2017 season on Friday night, defeating Fredonia 4-3 in overtime on the road.
Fredonia was able to strike first at the 14:45 mark in the first period on a goal by Gavin Nickerson. Morrisville matched the Blue Devils nearly shot for shot, but were not able to find the equalizer.
The second period was a different story for the Mustangs as they were able to score twice in the period. The first goal came at the 3:30 mark just after the Blue Devils went down two men due to a slashing penalty and a tripping penalty. Up two skaters, Morrisville worked the puck to Joseph Santino (Woodbridge, Ontario) who found the back of the net, tying the game at 1-1. Henry Hearon (Chicago, Ill.) and CJ Stubbs (Pleasant Grove, Vt.) picked up the assists.
Layne Martin (Findlay, Ohio) put the Mustangs up 2-1 halfway through the second period with an even handed goal. Joe Ftoma (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Stubbs were credited with the assists. However, another Fredonia goal at 16:37 tied the game up once again.
Morrisville battled back once again, scoring at the 1:47 mark in the third period off of a goal by Ian Wood (Pittsburgh, Pa.), his fourth of the season. Nick DeVito (Averill Park, N.Y.) and Santino tallied the assists.
Using the home crowd to their advantage, Fredonia did not go down without a fight, tying the game up once again with just over five minutes left in regulation. Despite 12 shots on goal for the Blue Devils and 10 shots on goal for the Mustangs, neither team would be able to pull away as time ticked away in the third.
Time was not a factor in overtime as Morrisville kicked their offense into high gear. The Mustangs fired two shots at the Blue Devils' goaltender, Eric Bogart, in just thirteen seconds. The second, off the stick of Santino, sounded the goal horn for the game winner.
Jared Young picked up the win in net for Morrisville, recording 36 saves.
The Mustangs will look to carry this momentum onto their home ice Saturday night, as they host Fredonia in the final game of the SUNYAC series. The first puck is set to drop at 7 PM in the Ice Plex on the campus of Morrisville State.
Morrisville State College's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.
The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2016 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2016 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about Morrisville State College, visit www.morrisville.edu.
#30#