PINE VALLEY, N.Y. – The #7 nationally-ranked Elmira College men’s ice hockey team picked up its third New England Hockey Conference victory of the season on Friday evening in front of a crowd of 772 at the Murray Athletic Center, defeating the visiting Wildcats from Johnson & Wales 6-2.
A three-goal first period for the Purple & Gold would end up being enough, as Janis Vizbelis ’24, NEHC points leader Nicholas Domitrovic ’24, and Bailey Krawczyk ’24 would each find the back of the net in the opening frame, as Krawczyk’s first score of the evening would serve as the game-winner.
Brody Haynes ’26 would make his first start of the season on Friday evening, recording 33 saves while picking up the win between the pipes.
JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: #7 Elmira 6, Johnson & Wales 2
LOCATION: Pine Valley, New York | Murray Athletic Center
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (9-2-0, 3-2-0 NEHC), Johnson & Wales (1-6-1, 1-5-1 NEHC)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Soaring Eagles notched its first score of the contest just 4:37 into regulation as Vizbelis netted his eighth score of the season on assists from the defense pairing of Amedeo Mastrangeli ’24 and Daniel Dimon ’24. The goal would be on the power-play, as Kaydn Fennell was sent to the box on a hooking call.
- Just under six minutes later, it would be Domitrovic, who would net his 11th goal of the 2023-24 campaign on beautiful passes from Vizbelis and Mastrangeli to put the Purple & Gold ahead 2-0 in the early-going.
- With under two minutes remaining in the first, Elmira would be down a man following a Kerfalla Toure ’27 penalty, but the Soaring Eagles would find a way to extend its lead as Chance Gorman ’24 possessed the puck before finding an open Bailey Krawczyk ’24 up the center of the ice, who netted his one-time shot for his first goal of the contest.
- Scoring would be at a minimum for the first half of the second period before Krawczyk again would find the back of the net on an assist from Shane Haviland ’24, putting the Soaring Eagles ahead 4-0.
- The Wildcats would score its first of the evening past Haynes, as Davis Bone scored less than three minutes later on an assist from Brent Rickett, Johnson & Wales second leading point scorer on the season.
- Nearing the end of the period, it would be defenseman Jordan Gonzalez ’24 who would find the back of the net for the second time this season, as Haviland, who received the pass from Matt York ’26, skated around the perimeter of the blue line before finding Gonzalez open on the right side of the net for the score.
- Heading into the third, the Wildcats would be the first to find the back of the net, as Brad Cook would tally the point, unassisted, to trim the Elmira lead to 5-2.
- The scoring would end with 42 seconds remaining after the Wildcats pulled the goalie, as Vizbelis, after hitting the pipe twice during the empty-net opportunity, would eventually score on a pass from Domitrovic, who was credited with the assist.
UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles return to the ice tomorrow afternoon when hosting the Beacons from UMass Boston at 4:00 PM. Tomorrow will serve as the annual Teddy Bear Toss contest, where fans who bring a stuffed toy to the game will receive free admission.
