College Hockey Stats Box Score
 
Pine Valley, NY -- Playing for the first time in a month, the Elmira College men's ice hockey team (5-4-2) was forced to score three goals in the final 2:14 of tonight's game to seal a 6-4 win over visiting Buffalo State (4-8-2).  Elmira outshot Buffalo State 43-to-32 but the Bengals held the advantage in power-play chances as they went 2-for-3.
 
The Bengals entered tonight's game ranked 11th in the nation for most penalty minutes.  Discipline was the name of the game as Buffalo State did not commit a single penalty, keeping Elmira's surging power-play unit off the ice, a key factor in tonight's game.  However, three Elmira players turned in three-point performances, including Michael Collins '16, Nick Owen '17, and Andrew Ciampichini '15, to lead the Soaring Eagles to their fifth win of the season. 
 
Buffalo State came out of the gates fast as the Bengals held a 5-0 advantage in shots through the early stages of the first period.  However, the Soaring Eagles would make the most of their opportunities as Jarryd ten Vaanholt '16 scored the game's opening goal just 4:24 into the first period.  ten Vaanholt's goal was setup by Nick Owen '17 who began the scoring play with a shot on goal that would be saved but Carter Shinkaruk '16 would collect the loose puck.  From there, Shinkaruk made a move behind the Buffalo State net before dumping the puck to ten Vaanholt in the slot where he buried a one-timer for the score. 
 
The Bengals nearly evened the game at the 5:38 mark when, in Elmira's defensive zone, the Soaring Eagles misplayed the puck, leaving EC netminder Sal Magliocco '17 in a vulnerable position out of net.  Thankfully for Elmira, the play would be broken up as the Purple and Gold maintained their 1-0 lead and would eventually take that one-goal advantage into the first intermission.
 
Elmira extended their lead to 2-0 early in the second period thanks to a goal by Michael Collins '16, who redirected a shot in front of the Buffalo State net for the score.  Collins' goal was setup by Owen, who fired a slap shot from the blue line, allowing Collins to tip-in the shot for Elmira's second goal.  Andrew Ciampichini '15 was also credited with an assist on the goal. 
 
From that point on, Elmira seemed to be in complete control as Buffalo State spent most of the period in their own defensive zone.  Though, the game changed drastically starting at the 15:53 mark of the second period when, on a power-play opportunity, Buffalo State scored their first goal of the game to cut the Elmira lead to one.  Then, less than a minute later on the rush, Nick Berst fired a shot on goal that would initially be saved by EC's Sal Magliocco '17.  The initial shot bounced right back to Berst, who sent a wrist shot on net that would beat Maglicco through the five-hole for the score.
 
With the period coming to a close, a blocked shot by Liam Burtt '16 turned into a one-on-one rush which would eventually result in an Elmira goal.  Ciampichini spearheaded the rush but was unable to get a shot off as he was checked from behind by a Bengal defender into the Buffalo State goalie.  With all three players on the ice, and with a wide open net, Collins would skate in after trailing the play and knock-in his second goal of the night. Collins' goal at the 18:35 mark would hold up through the end of the period as EC took a slim 3-2 lead into the final intermission.
 
In the third period, Elmira looked to close out the Bengals but back-to-back goals by Buffalo State at the 7:28 and 9:43 marks put the Soaring Eagles in a 4-3 hole.  Of Buffalo State's two scores, one came on the power play.
 
Trailing 4-3 late in the third period, it looked as though Elmira was going to take an unwanted non-conference loss on home ice but instead, three EC goals in the final 2:14 of the game would propel the Soaring Eagles to a 6-4 victory.
 
Elmira's three-goal run began with a great defensive play by Eric David '15 who, after creating a turnover in EC's defensive zone, found Tommy Sumi '16 in the neutral zone who would begin a two-on-one odd-man rush. Sumi carried the puck into Buffalo State's defensive zone and would lay-off a pass to Depp in the slot where he sniped a wrist shot into the upper right corner for the score at the 17:46 mark.
 
Then, 33 seconds later, Carter Shinkaruk '16 would score what would eventually go down as the game-winner.  Shinkaruk's goal was setup by Greg Whittle '16 who, following an offensive zone faceoff win sent a pass cross-ice to Owen, who launched a powerful slap shot on net that would be saved but not covered up, allowing Shinkaruk to clean up the loose puck for the score.
 
With the game slipping away from them, Buffalo State was forced to pull their goalie late in the third period.  The move would not work out for them as Ciampichini would score an empty-netter to put the Bengals away for good and seal a 6-4 win for the Soaring Eagles.  Depp and Collins were both credited with assists on the goal.
 
Magliocco got the start in net tonight for Elmira and would make 28 saves in 60 minutes of work.  His counterpart from Buffalo State, Ian Sylves, made 37 saves and would allow five goals.
 
The Elmira men will be back in action this Friday, January 9th when the Purple and Gold make the short trip to face another SUNYAC opponent in SUNY Geneseo.  Faceoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.