Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Brockport ties 14th-ranked Fredonia

The College at Brockport ice hockey team tied No.14 SUNY Fredonia Tuesday night, by a score of 4-4. With the tie, the Golden Eagles move to 11-5-2 overall and 3-4-2 in conference, while the Blue Devils move to 11-3-2 and 5-2-1 in the SUNYAC.

The two teams skated to an evenly matched first period, with Fredonia outshooting the Green and Gold 13-11 after 20. Brockport was awarded a five on three powerplay in the first period but the Blue Devil penalty kill played tough. The Blue Devils were the first team on the board, scoring the go-ahead goal 14 minutes into the period and sending the Golden Eagles into the locker room down, 1-0.

Brockport battled back in the second period as Trevor Pray knocked in his second goal of the year nine minutes into the action. The Green and Gold weren't done there, scoring their second of the night on the powerplay three minutes later. Ethan Solat beat the opposition's netminder 12 minutes into the second period with assists to Hunter Laslo and Connor Hutchins. The Blue Devils would not lay down, however, tying the game at two with less than two minutes remaining in the period. The Blue Devils would regain the lead once more a minute later when a shot from the point on the PP beat Matthew Schneider, making the score 3-2.

The third period was full of action as these two SUNYAC foes battled for much needed two points. It was the Blue devils who extended their lead early, scoring their fourth goal of the night eight minutes into the third period. The Golden Eagles showed no quit, however, battling their interstate rival into the final minutes of the game. With four minutes remaining, head coach Brian Dickinson pulled Schneider to bring on the extra attacker; thirty seconds later Jeremy Solat scored his fifth goal of the season, bringing the game within one. Following the goal, Brockport pulled their netminder once more, this time with thirty seconds remaining in regulation, Ryan Romeo fired a shot past the Fredonia goalkeeper, sending the game into overtime.

After three periods and 65 minutes of hockey, a winner could not be crowned in this matchup. The Golden Eagles picked up one point in the tie, bringing them within a point of Buffalo State in the SUNYAC standings.

"It was a hard-fought battle between two very good teams," said Dickinson "To battle back from being down 4-2 with less than three minutes showed what this team is made of."