Score: Elmira College 5 – SUNY Potsdam 3
Records: Elmira (5-4-0), SUNY Potsdam (6-4-2)
Location: Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena – Pine Valley, NY
 
Pine Valley, NY -- An eight-day layoff did little to cool down the red-hot Elmira College men's ice hockey team, a fact SUNY Potsdam learned the hard way in Elmira's thrilling 5-3 comeback victory on Tuesday evening at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena.
 
The Soaring Eagles fully showcased their character and resiliency on this night. Trailing 3-1 over halfway into the contest, Elmira erupted for four unanswered goals, including three in the decisive third period. The comeback win stretches the team's winning streak to four heading into the final weekend of the season's first half.
 
Brian Depp '16 led the charge for the Soaring Eagles, posting another huge game. The senior captain finished with three points on two goals and an assist. Tommy Sumi '16 and Jarryd ten Vaanholt '16 each added a goal and an assist, while Jeremy Marginsky '18 added a clutch goal.
 
Rob Simpson '16, Michael Collins '16 and Blake O'Neill '19 each added one helper.
 
Sal Magliocco '17 got the nod in Elmira's cage for the first time in four games and did not disappoint. The third-year netminder stopped 29-of-32 Potsdam shots to notch his first victory of the season.
 
Things started out innocuously enough, as the teams zipped through a scoreless first period. Although it had been nine days since Elmira's last contest, it did not show in the team's legs in an up-and-down first period that witnessed few scoring chances and even fewer stoppages.
 
Things picked up rather quickly in the second, as the teams combined for five goals in the period. Depp got the puck rolling for the Soaring Eagles, staking the home side to a brief 1-0 lead. Simpson got the play started, firing a tape-to-tape outlet pass to Collins on the right wing. The senior blazed down the right flank with Depp providing an option on the left. Collins fed Depp a pass, which the senior corralled in the left circle. He gave a head and shoulders fake before continuing behind the net, catching Potsdam's netminder Brendan McMenimen by surprise. With the goaltender off his goal line, Depp tucked in a wraparound shot to break the ice on the scoreboard.
 
The lead would last just 24 seconds, as Tommy Telesca would equalize for the Bears' on the ensuing shift. The visitors would appear to grab firm control of the game over the next five minutes of game action.
 
Sean Kacerosky would lift Potsdam into the lead at 9:03 of the period, just as Elmira had killed off an interference penalty to Jonathan Grassie '19. The Bears' Matt Thompson won a puck battle down on the right corner boards. The puck would come to the blade of Jake Rivera, who made a power move to the crease. The Elmira defense converged on the charging forward, but the puck would slip into the high slot. Kacerosky pinched down from his position on the left point and fired a wrister past Magliocco who was sprawled amongst the significant traffic in front. The Bears would stretch the lead to two just 1:36 later, when Ben Mariano pumped in a shot from the below the left circle.
 
With a big hole to climb out of, Elmira turned to its do-it-all captain, who would spark the comeback. With the teams set up for a faceoff at center ice with just over five minutes remaining in the period, Sumi won a scrambled faceoff to Depp. The right winger took off like he was shot out of a cannon, taking the Potsdam blue line by surprise, as he blew past for a partial breakaway down the right wing. He made a forehand-to-backhand move, before slipping the puck five-hole to halve the deficit.
 
The Soaring Eagles continued to search for the equalizer until finally finding it just over the halfway point of the final period. ten Vaanholt started the play, taking the puck on the left-wing boards in the neutral zone and dumping it into the Potsdam end. The puck took a weird ricochet behind the net and came shooting back out into the slot. Marginsky, who was making a hard drive to the net on the forecheck, pounced on the opportunity, ripping a wrister into the twine to tie the game.
 
Sensing Potsdam was on its heels, Elmira continued to rev the aggressive attack. Sure enough it was Depp who would play a hand in the decisive goal to retake the lead for good. The scoring play started with excellent work by the captain to strip the puck in the defensive zone. He then charged up the right-wing boards, before hitting resistance at the right half wall in the Potsdam end. He made an excellent move to draw two defenders, before flipping a perfect backhand saucer pass to Sumi who had acres of space streaking through the slot. He faked forehand, before turning the puck to his backhand to slide five-hole past McMenimen.
 
ten Vaanholt would seal the game with an empty-net goal with 40 seconds remaining.
 
In His Own Words…
Head Coach Aaron Saul '98 on the team's performance…
"I thought we were a little out of sync to begin the game. Obviously, we hit a bit of a rough patch and Potsdam took advantage of it during the second period. We did a good job to rally back in the third period. Good teams find a way to win these kind of games and we were able to do that tonight."
 
Saul on what sparked the comeback…
"We really sat down between the second and third periods and just regrouped. We know what kind of team we have and what we are capable of doing; we didn't feel we were playing to that ability through 40 minutes. But that confidence that we gained over the past few games really took hold in the third and we were able to put another feather in our cap beating the first place team in the SUNYAC."
 
Saul on younger players stepping up…
"I thought they were a little nervous early on. It's always tough to get adjusted when you have a bunch of changes in your lineup. I thought the young guys really settled down in the second period and they came together for some great shifts in the third period to help us win the game."
 
Saul on Brian Depp's performance…
"Depp was the true leader of our team tonight. I thought he was the best player on the ice, hands down. It is great to see Brian get some goals and some recognition. He played well last year, but was kind of snake-bit ending the season with three goals. He's a goal scorer and I'm glad to see things are going his way this year."
 
Turning Point
There was a growing feeling throughout the final period that a comeback was well within reach if the team could net an equalizer. Elmira shifted the ice drastically during the back half of the period, finally getting the equalizer on Marginsky's tally. EC would ride the momentum to score twice more to secure the comeback victory.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Potsdam outshot Elmira 32-to-26 in the contest; however, the Soaring Eagles held a 10-to-6 advantage in the decisive third period.
• The Soaring Eagles went 0-for-3 with the man-advantage, while the Bears finished 0-for-2.
• Elmira held a distinct advantage in the faceoff circle, winning 42-of-75 draws on the evening.
• Depp and Sumi each fired a game-high four shots on goal, while Mike Sweeny and Billy Pascalli also finished with four shots on goal apiece for the Bears.
• Collins was a beast at the faceoff dot for the Soaring Eagles, winning 22-of-28 draws on the night.
• Seven Elmira players recorded at least one point.
• Magliocco posted his best game of the season, stopping 29 shots and allowing only three goals.

 
News and Notes

• With the win, Elmira stretches its all-time record against Potsdam to 42-8-1.
• Elmira has now won eight straight in the series between the two programs.
• The Soaring Eagles winning streak now sits at four; it is the first time this season that Elmira has had a winning record.
• Depp continued his torrid start to the season, collecting three points to extend his point streak to nine consecutive games to start 2015-16. He now leads the team with 13 points and eight goals, while he is tied for the team-high with five helpers.
• ten Vaanholt also continued his breakout from a slow start. With his goal and assist he notched his third consecutive multi-point effort.
• Marginsky's big equalizing goal in the third period marked the second straight game in which he has found the back of the net.
• Elmira continued to showcase its powerful offense in the win. The squad pumped in five more goals, its third straight outing scoring five or more. The Soaring Eagles have scored 20 goals over its four-game winning streak.
• The win was Magliocco's first of the season.

 
Up Next
Elmira will hit the road to close out the 2015 portion of its schedule this coming weekend. First, the Soaring Eagles will head to Middletown, CT, to take on Wesleyan University at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 11^th. EC will make the short trip to Hartford, CT, to clash with nationally-ranked Trinity College in a 4:30 p.m. puck drop the following day.