Senior Aaron Green
(Mt. Albert, ONT) made 33 saves including 19 in the second period
leading The College at Brockport to a 3-0 victory over Buffalo State
Friday night in a State University of New York Athletic Conference
(SUNYAC) game at the Tuttle North Ice Arena in Brockport.
The shutout was the first in Green's Brockport career and the first for the Golden Eagles since a 3-0 win over Potsdam Feb. 23, 2010 in the first round of the SUNYAC playoffs as Todd Sheridan stopped 27 shots. The last regular season SUNYAC shutout for the Golden Eagles was back on January 29, 2004 with a 4-0 win over Fredonia as Andy Reynolds stopped 43 shots.
Brockport (5-5-1 Overall, 2-3-1 SUNYAC) took an early lead as freshman Zac Sikich (Oak Park, CA) finished off a quick rush up the ice with his third goal of the season. Junior Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY) intercepted a pass in the Brockport defensive zone and sent a pass up the boards to Kody Vaisanen (Dundalk, ONT) who threw a quick pass across the ice to Sikich who broke in on the Buffalo State (1-6-2, 1-4-2) goalie beating him with a low shot 2:43 into the game.
The score remained 1-0 throughout the remainder of the first period, all of the second period and the first 15:34 of the third period as each goalie made several big saves. Green was especially effective in the second period with a season-best 19 saves.
Late in the third period, Brockport scored to take a 2-0 lead as freshman Aidan Verbeke (Elmwood Park, IL) notched his first career goal with assists from Jake Taylor (Port Perry, ONT) and Troy Polino (Limerick, PA). Polino passed the puck into the offensive zone and Taylor charged toward the net with the puck and slipped a backhand pass to the top of the crease where Verbeke slid a shot under the pads of the Bengals goalie for the 2-0 Brockport lead.
Buffalo State went on a power play 11 seconds later and pulled its goalie for the two skater advantage keeping the goalie out for the entire two minute power play as Green made four saves during the extra-man opportunity. Less than 15 seconds after the penalty expired and with the Bengal goalie still on the bench, Brockport sealed the victory with an empty net goal by James Ryan (Richmond Hill, ONT).
