PINE VALLEY, N.Y. – The Elmira College men’s ice hockey team skated to a 7-3 victory at the Murray Athletic Center on Wednesday evening in a non-conference bout against Lebanon Valley. The Soaring Eagles, who would receive its game-winning goal at the 12:27 mark in the second period after a first-career goal from Matt York ’26, would have 12 Soaring Eagles record at least one point on the evening, which included two goals from Shawn Kennedy ’24, two assists from Nicholas Domitrovic ’24, and a goal and an assist from Ryan Reifler ’24.
JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Elmira 7, Lebanon Valley 3
LOCATION: Pine Valley, New York | Murray Athletic Center
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (5-2-0, 2-2-0 NEHC), Lebanon Valley (2-5-0, 1-1-0 UCHC)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The game would take some time to develop offensively for both teams before the Soaring Eagles found the back of the net to begin the scoring at the 10:18 mark in the first as Jared Smith ’24 found the back of the twine on assists from Reifler and Chance Gorman ’24. For Smith, it was his second goal of the season as the forward scored on a power-play as Dutchmen John King was sent to the box on a tripping call.
- Just 2:56 later, the Soaring Eagles would be back at it again to double its lead, as quick motion up the ice from Amedeo Mastrangeli ’24 and Domitrovic allowed for Kennedy to score, his first since the home-opener against Oswego State on October 28.
- As the period wound to a close, the Soaring Eagles would find themselves down a pair of men after Gorman and Cole Tucker ’25 were sent to the box on penalties, but EC would erase one of the penalties and finish the period without allowing a goal.
- Out of the break, the Flying Dutchmen would start the first 55 seconds on the power-play, but Elmira would hold strong before scoring a goal just 1:54 into the period as Daniel Dimon ’24 found the net on a beautiful pass from Domitrovic.
- After ten minutes of scoreless hockey, it would be Matt York ’26, scoring his first career goal as the defensemen pocketed a shot into the upper righthand corner, assisted by Joel Pavey ’25. Immediately following, the Dutchmen would take the opening faceoff, scoring its first of the night past Elmira netminder Jeffrey Zero ’23, as Jered Stevenson answered just 21 seconds later to make the score 4-1.
- It would take the Soaring Eagles just 48 seconds to respond as Kennedy netted his second of the evening, assisted by Janis Vizbelis ’24 to put EC ahead 5-1.
- Through two periods of play, the Soaring Eagles out-shot the Flying Dutchmen 30-17.
- In the third, the Dutchmen and Soaring Eagles would trade goals, as Harris Blackwood (3:44) and Reifler (4:53) both found the back of the net, unassisted as the goal made the score 6-2.
- The offense would go quiet up until 6:17 remaining, as Bailey Krawczyk ’24 joined the Elmira scoring on an assist from Nathan Young ’25, as Krawczyk bent his way around the left side of the net for the finish to put EC ahead 7-2.
- In all, 12 Soaring Eagles recorded points on the evening, while Zero finished the night with 29 saves in net for his first victory of the season in as many attempts.
UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles return to the ice next on Tuesday, November 21 when heading to Geneseo to take on the Knights in another non-conference matchup. Puck drop from the Ira S. Wilson Arena is set for 4:00 PM.
