After working out some kinks after a rough opening stretch that saw them face the powerful Plattsburgh Cardinals and Hobart Statesman in their first four games, the Golden Eagles returned to form on Friday night and turned away a high-scoring SUNYAC important – the Buffalo State Bengals – at Tuttle North Ice Arena, crushing them 5-2.
They looked like the playoff-bound Golden Eagles of last year. The victory was a total team performance that, at the same time, featured two incredible singular performances, one by goaltender Todd Sheridan and the other by forward Ryan Silveira.
Todd was remarkable in goal, turning away 36 shots, many of them with high quality saves. With the Bengals rarely testing the top of the net (and only doing so from a distance), Todd found himself in Hasek-mode throughout the game, hitting the deck to turn away low shots that usually came two at a time. Most every save was of the exciting sort and if you were there you found yourself holding your breath amidst the chaos and brilliance. This game showcased why he is considered one of the very best in DIII.
But, the star of the game was Ryan. He has been known to have some big games in the past and none were bigger than this. It’s been years since a Brockport player last had a hat trick on home ice (quite frankly, I can’t remember the last time). His super game took skill and wherewithal. Ocassionally, perhaps in a hurry to put the game out of reach with the quick shot, the Golden Eagles seemed to abandon the style of play that got them goals last year (coming to the net) and, instead, ended up taking slap shots or wristers from nearly as far away as the blue line. Ryan maintained his composure and brought it to the net on his first two goals and he burned goaltender Alan Fritch on them. It wasn’t easy, numerous times Ryan had to plow through guys and out-muscle them. Even his empty-netter was smartly-played, taking the shot at the last possible second with a defender draped on him. It was a top-notch performance.
And, so was the team’s performance. Despite allowing 38 shots, Brockport seemed to do the little things of big importance throughout the game, whether forwards were blocking shots with their bodies (which happened 3 times), or Brockport forwards were swarming Buffalo State forwards, or defensemen (like Gregg Amato and Tyler Davis) were keeping Buff State forwards from the net, or defensemen were contributing offensively (Amato assisted on a goal and had a power play goal). It wasn’t as physical as the Buffalo games last year, but Brockport found different ways to control the tempo.
It was a great game that reassures you that Brockport is going places in the SUNYAC.
Here’s the athletic department’s report….
Buffalo State (1-4-1 Overall, 1-3 SUNYAC) scored first netting a goal 1:16 into the contest as a bouncing puck skipped over the stick of Brockport (2-3, 2-2) goalie Todd Sheridan (Edison, NJ) for the early 1-0 lead.
Late in the first period, junior Tom Galiani (Lindenhurst, NY) tied the score with his second goal of the year and less than two minutes later, Silveira scored his first of the night knocking home a loose puck from just inside the blue line as a clearing attempt by Buffalo State was intercepted by Adam Shoff (Port Dover, ONT) and tipped of the stick of sophomore Gregg Amato (Ocean Gate, NJ) over to Silveira to give Brockport the 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.
In the second period, Amato scored his first goal of the season with Brockport on a two-man advantage powerplay as Brockport worked the puck around the zone and Amato fired a slap shot from the point for the 3-1 Golden Eagles lead.
The Bengals narrowed the gap to 3-2 six minutes into the third period but Silveira added his second of the night at the 12:26 mark of the period and put the game away with an empty net goal with 1:15 left in the period for the 5-2 lead and to complete the hat trick.
Buffalo State had more shots with 38 to Brockport’s 27 but Sheridan came up with 36 saves for the victory. The win was his 20th career victory and the 36 saves give him over 1,400 in his Brockport career.
