Score: Elmira College 6 – Wesleyan University 1
Records: Elmira (6-4-0), Wesleyan (0-3-4)
Location: Spurrier-Snyder Rink – Middletown, CT
 
Middletown, CT -- The Elmira College men's ice hockey continued to play impressive hockey when it returned to action on Friday night in the first game of a weekend road swing to the Nutmeg State. The Soaring Eagles scored twice in each period to blow past Wesleyan University in a 6-1 final at Spurrier-Snyder Rink.
 
Carter Shinkaruk '16 had a monster game in his return to the lineup following a one-game absence. He tallied two shorthanded goals and added an assist in a three-point effort. Marcus Astesana '17 also had a memorable night, opening the scoring with his first career goal, while also adding an assist to post his first career multi-point effort.
 
Kenny Tencza '19 continued to have a big impact in his rookie season, as he also posted a multi-point effort with a goal and an assist. Eddie Nolan '17 added his first goal of the season, while Tommy Sumi '16 also netted a goal for the Soaring Eagles.
 
Brian Depp '16 continued his torrid scoring pace with a pair of assists. Alexander Taulien '17, Jordan Robertson '17 and Jay Clarke '19 each tallied one helper, with Clarke's marking his first collegiate point.
 
Sandro Aeschlimann '19 was again rock solid in the Elmira crease. He made several acrobatic stops in recording his third 40-plus save performance of the season. The rookie finished with 40 stops on 41 Wesleyan shots.
 
In what has been a constant theme of Elmira's winning streak, the Soaring Eagles got off to a flying start in the opening 20 minutes, tallying twice in the opening 10 minutes of the game. Elmira wasted little time off the opening puck drop, as the visitors were gifted and early opportunity with the man advantage, capitalizing just 3:10 into the game. With one second remaining on the penalty, Astesana ripped a wrister past Wesleyan goaltender Dawson Springings to give the Soaring Eagles liftoff.
 
The Purple and Gold doubled the advantage midway through the period, this time with a goal off the rush. With the puck bouncing in the Wesleyan zone, Depp was able to corral it in the right circle. He fired a shot that Springings was able to get a sprawling blocker on, but the rebound fell into space in the slot. Nolan crashed down from his point position and one-touched it into the partially vacated goal.
 
The Cardinals seemed to regroup and put generated some offensive pressure of their own down the back half of the period. Aeschlimann was tested on several Cardinal scoring chances, the best stop coming on a sparkling pad save at the right post to rob Wesleyan's Terence Durkin.
 
The Cardinals pressure would finally pay off with six seconds remaining in the period. With the puck seemingly pinned in the left corner boards of the Elmira zone, Wesleyan's Jordan Jancze was able to pry the puck free and fire a bad angle shot that somehow eluded Aeschlimann and snuck its way over the goal line.
 
It was Elmira's penalty kill that was the story line in the middle period, as defense turned to offense for the Soaring Eagles. The Purple and Gold killed three penalties in the period, while they added two shorthanded goals in the middle frame. Shinkaruk was the beneficiary on both tallies, which came on almost carbon-copy transition plays.
 
With the Cardinals carrying over 1:58 of power-play time into the period, it was the Soaring Eagles who emerged with the goal. After {Insert Name Here} speared a loose puck between the circles, he sent a quick outlet pass to Depp on the left-wing boards. The Elmira captain steamed down the left wing on a two-on-one with Shinkaruk. Depp drew the defender and lifted a perfect saucer pass to Shinkaruk who moved in one-on-one with the goalie. He faked forehand and slipped a backhander past the falling Springings to reestablish Elmira's two-goal lead.
 
The lead would go to three just 10 seconds into the Cardinals' second power-play opportunity of the period. The Soaring Eagles took control of the puck in the neutral zone and again the Purple and Gold came streaming back on an odd-man break. Shinkaruk again made a hard drive down the right wing and ripped a one-timer feed from Depp past a down-and-out Springings.
 
Despite holding a comfortable three-goal lead, Elmira continued to push the pedal to the metal in the offensive zone in the third period. It would result in a goal just 1:11 into the period, as Sumi pumped in a shot from the slot. Tencza would cap the scoring just under five minutes later, making a nice patient play to cut to the net, holding the puck through the slot, before slipping a sneaky wrister between the blocker and pad of Springings.
 
In His Own Words…
Head Coach Aaron Saul '98 on his team's performance…
"The team really came together tonight in one of our strongest all-around efforts of the year. We played well in all facets of the game and the special teams units were really key for us."
 
Saul on the penalty killing unit…
"We had some tough calls go against us, but we worked strong as a unit. Sandro really made some quality saves to bail us out a couple of times. Obviously, the shorthanded goals were a big momentum swing in our favor."
 
Saul on his team's fast starts in recent games…
"Game preparation is a key for us. The guys had a good week of practice and were ready to go. It really showed in the opening minutes where we were able to catch Wesleyan on its heels a little bit and get an early lead."
 
Turning Point
Although Elmira dominated much of the opening period, the game looked to be swinging in favor of Wesleyan during the conclusion of the period. Jancze's fluky goal pulled the Cardinals within one-goal of tying the game, while Elmira's Nolan took a penalty right off the ensuing draw to give Wesleyan a full power-play opportunity with fresh ice in the second period. The Soaring Eagles were able to swing the momentum back in their favor when Depp and Shinkaruk combined on a shorthanded break to reestablish Elmira's two-goal lead just 45 seconds into the second period. The Cardinals never seriously threatened after that point.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Wesleyan outshot Elmira 41-to-30 in the contest; however, most of that advantage came with the game well out of reach. The Cardinals outshot the Soaring Eagles 31-to-19 over the final two periods.
• Elmira went 1-for-5 with the man-advantage, while Wesleyan had a dreadful night on the power play, going 0-for-6.
• Elmira tallied three goals with their special teams units on the ice, as it added two shorthanded goals in the game.
• Elmira tallied two goals in each period.
• Nine Soaring Eagles tallied at least one point, while four recorded multi-point games.
• Aeschlimann finished with 40 saves on 41 Wesleyan shots.

 
News and Notes

• With the victory, Elmira moves to 3-1 all-time against Wesleyan University.
• The win stretches Elmira's winning streak to five games. It is the longest such streak for the program since it won five consecutive games from November 4-25^th during the 2011-2012 season.
• Elmira tallied two shorthanded goals in the same game for the first time this season. The Soaring Eagles achieved that feat twice last season; however, it was only the third time over the last 10 years.
• Shinkaruk is the first Elmira played since Josh Piro '03 to record two shorthanded goals in the same game. Piro achieved the feat against Williams on January 3, 2003.
• With the two assists, Depp runs his point streak to 10 consecutive games to begin the season. In doing so, he passed his previous career-long streak of nine games, which he set during his sophomore campaign in 2012-13. He now leads the team with 15 points on eight goals and seven assists.
• In being held off the score sheet, Jarryd ten Vaanholt '16 had his career-long three-game multi-point streak snapped.
• Astesana recorded his first collegiate goal in the win.
• Clarke recorded his first collegiate point in the win.
• Aeschlimann now has three 40-plus save games to his credit this season.

 
Up Next
Elmira will wrap-up its weekend back-to-back tomorrow evening when it takes on nationally-ranked Trinity College at 4:30 p.m.