Score: Neumann University 7 – Elmira College 6 (OT)
Records: Neumann (3-0-0, 1-0-0 ECACW), Elmira (0-1-0, 0-1-0 ECACW)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, NY
 
Pine Valley, NY – The Elmira College men's ice hockey team was a little over one-minute away from securing a big conference victory over ECAC West rival Neumann University on Friday evening. Unfortunately, that was still enough time for plenty of fireworks on this whacky back-and-forth season opening contest for the Soaring Eagles at the Murray Athletic Center.
 
Neumann's Mike Davis led the Knights on a furious comeback, tallying a late equalizer in regulation, before stunning the Soaring Eagles and nearly 1,200 patrons with a game-winner 47 seconds into overtime.
 
It was a heartbreaking conclusion to what was a scintillating contest, setting the stage to what promises to be another exciting season for Elmira hockey. Tommy Sumi '16 had an excellent game for the Soaring Eagles with two goals and an assist, while Jeremy Marginsky '18 notched the first multi-goal game of his career with a pair of goals. Team captain, Brian Depp '16, added a pair of assists, while Greg Whittle '16 and Carter Shinkaruk '16 both tallied a goal and an assist apiece.
 
The Soaring Eagles jumped out to the early 1-0 lead at the 12:56 mark of the first period. Working on their first power play of the year, the team's second unit would capitalize. Shinkaruk won a puck battle down low and backhanded a pass back to Alexander Taulien '17 at the left half wall. The third-year would move the puck to Nick Okada '18 at the center point, who one-touched a perfect pass back into Taulien's wheelhouse. The forward one-timed a howitzer that beat Neumann goaltender Matt Gibney inside the left post.
 
In what would be a trend throughout the evening, the lead would not last, as the visitors tallied twice 59 seconds apart late in the opening period on goals from Jon Low and Anthony Pino to take the lead to the intermission.
 
Elmira would look to its special teams to equalize the game in the second period. With the Knights' Davis off for kneeing at 6:31 of the middle frame, Elmira again put its threatening power-play unit to work. Defenseman Rob Simpson '16 jumped into the rush along the right-wing boards, shuffling a puck through traffic in the goal mouth. The puck would ricochet to Depp in the left circle, who ripped a shot that hit traffic in front and fell right to the blade of Whittle between the circles in the high-slot. The senior ripped a wrister that found the back of the net high glove-side.
 
Shane Topf would reestablish the visitors lead exactly one minute later; however, the Purple and Gold's offense would take over the remainder of the period. Shinkaruk would re-tie the game at 3-3 just 46 seconds after the Topf goal, sending in shot after Mitch Atkins '19 set up the play with an excellent poke check at the Neumann blue-line. Marginsky would pull the Soaring Eagles back ahead 2:05 later with his first of two on the evening. The 4-3 score would hold until the intermission.
 
The Knights clearly came out with some added jump to begin the third period, which would quickly translate to a goal just 48 seconds into the period when Davis pumped in his first of four goals on the night.
 
The early goal would not faze a resolute Elmira squad, as the Soaring Eagles would quickly counter 1:54 later on Marginsky's second of the game. Sumi started the play, winning a puck battle on the right-wing boards. He shuffled it ahead to Marginsky who charged hard into the offensive zone, shielding the puck from the on-rushing defender, before beating the net-minder just above the right pad.
 
Elmira dealt with some adversity the middle of the period when Michael Martin '18 was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for elbowing at 6:16 of the period. The Knights looked poised to use the advantage to pull ahead, as Davis would register a power-play goal with nearly three minutes remaining on the power-play. However, the Soaring Eagles would strike for a shorthanded tally on Sumi's second of the game. The play began innocuously enough, as Depp engaged in a puck battle on the left-wing boards at center ice. He was able to work the puck free to Sumi who crossed the blue-line with speed. Using the defender as a screen, he ripped a sinister wrister that dinged off the inside of the left post and in.
 
The score would remain the same setting the stage for the late-game heroics of Davis. With Elmira hemming the Knights in their own zone in the waning moments, Neumann was finally able to gain possession in the offensive zone and get an extra attacked of the ice. It would not take long to tie the game, as Davis pumped in his third for the hat-trick to take the air out of the raucous Murray Center crowd. His fourth would come just 47 seconds into the ensuing overtime to seal it for the visitors.
 
Turning Point
Elmira seemed poised to score the huge opening victory holding the slim 6-5 lead with just over one minute remaining. The Soaring Eagles had just put together a couple of excellent shifts to keep the puck deep in the Neumann zone, preventing the Knights from pulling their net-minder for the extra attacker. Neumann finally was able to get Matt Gibney off the ice with 1:10 remaining. It would only take the visitors six seconds to capitalize, as Davis would send home a back-hander to tie the game. The goal took air out of what was a rocking Murray Athletic Center crowd. Davis would further stun the onlookers once the game went to overtime, as he pumped in his fourth of the game to deal Elmira a crushing defeat.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Neumann outshot Elmira 49-to-36 in the contest.
• The Knights had a dominant advantage in the third period, outshooting Elmira 23-to-11 in the final 20 minutes of regulation.
• Neumann held a 44-to-41 advantage in faceoffs.
• Elmira went 2-for-4 with the man advantage, while Neumann was 2-for-5 on the power play.
• Chris Moses '19 led the Soaring Eagles in the faceoff circle, winning 7-of-12 draws.
• Sal Magliocco '17 finished with 42 saves for the Soaring Eagles; Gibney made 30 stops for the Knights.

 
News and Notes

• For the second consecutive season, Elmira opened the year with an overtime loss to Neumann. The Soaring Eagles fell to the Knights 3-2 in overtime on the road in last year's season opener.
• With the loss, Elmira falls to a 22-19-1 all-time record in season openers.
• Elmira's six goals were the most the team has scored in a season opening game since tallying seven against Morrisville State to open the 2008-09 season.
• The last time Elmira scored six goals in a game coincidentally also came against Neumann in a 6-5 victory in the final of three meetings last season on February 7^th.
• Mitch Atkins '19 recorded his first collegiate point, marking the primary assist on Marginsky's second goal of the game.
• Marginsky's two goals marked the first multi-goal game of his career.
• Nine Soaring Eagles recorded at least one point in the contest.

 
Up Next
Elmira will be right back in action tomorrow evening when it concludes the season opening back-to-back against Mahattanville College. Faceoff at the Murray Athletic Center is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.