Score: Elmira College 7 – Lebanon Valley College 1
Records: Elmira (7-11-1, 2-6-0 ECAC West), Lebanon Valley (3-15-2, 0-9-1 ECAC West)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's ice hockey team did not waste any time setting the tone in tonight's game. Elmira scored five goals in the first period, four of which came from EC's special teams, en route to a dominant 7-1 victory over visiting Lebanon Valley College. The Soaring Eagle power play scored thrice tonight (3-for-8), while second-year forward Chris Moses '19 scored shorthanded for his first collegiate goal.
 
Matthew Cuce '20 opened the scoring just 37 seconds into the first period with a power-play score. Cuce punched in the goal from just outside the crease, as the first-year forward followed up on a saved shot attempt from Nick Ford '20. Ford, along with Harry Kramer '20, picked up an assist on the game-opening power-play score.
 
Ford would get in on the scoring with a power-play goal of his own, this one coming at the 4:12 mark. The scoring play was almost identical to the Cuce goal, except Ford's shot from the left faceoff circle weaved its way through traffic and beat Lebanon Valley's Joel Eisenhower. Kramer and Connor Powell '20 were credited with assists on the goal.
 
Nearly 12 minutes passed until Elmira made it a three-goal lead thanks to the efforts of rookie Joseph Hall '20. The scoring play began in Elmira's defensive zone, as Mitch Atkins '19 intercepted a pass at the blue line and dumped the puck off to Hall, setting up a 2-on-1 rush. Hall carried the puck into the slot, and without hesitation, buried a wrist shot over Eisenhower's shoulder for the score at the 15:57 mark.
 
During Hall's scoring play, Lebanon Valley's Cole Godfrey was whistled for tripping, putting EC's power-play unit back on the ice for a fifth time. The extra skater paid off once again for the Soaring Eagles, as Spencer MacLean '20 registered his four goal of the season.
 
The scoring play started with Andrew Pucci '20, who sent a pass to Eddie Nolan '17 in EC's defensive zone. Nolan snapped an outlet pass to MacLean along the right-side boards, and with a full head of team, MacLean split a pair of Dutchmen defenders to set up a 1-on-1 with Eisenhower. MacLean drove into the high slot, before shucking his shoulders and placing the puck past Eisenhower on the glove side, putting the Purple and Gold on top by a four-goal margin at the 16:42 mark.
 
EC's Spencer Carter '20 was called for a slashing penalty 37 seconds after the MacLean goal, putting Lebanon Valley's league-leading power-play unit on the ice for a second time in the first period. However, Elmira's penalty killers proved to be up for the challenge, as EC denied the Dutchmen on the extra skater attempt.
 
Adding insult to injury was Chris Moses '19, who scored shorthanded on the Lebanon Valley power play at the 18:52 mark of the opening period. An errant pass in EC's defensive zone by a Dutchmen defender was intercepted by Moses at the blue line. From there, Moses showcased his speed by blowing past everyone on the ice to set up a 1-on-1 with Lebanon Valley's Tyler Perhac, who was subbed in following Elmira's fourth goal. Moses raced into the slot, before making one deke and burying the puck top shelf with the backside of his blade for the tally.
 
Moses' goal, which was the first of his EC career, would hold up through the end of the first period.
 
Elmira and Lebanon Valley traded goals in the second period, with EC's Powell scoring 6:27 into the second stanza. Cuce began the play with an outlet pass from Elmira's defensive zone to MacLean, who carried the puck through the neutral zone, before sending it over to Powell on the left side of the ice. Powell skated to the left faceoff circle and sniped the top left corner for the score.
 
Lebanon Valley's Brett Johnson scored the team's lone goal of the night just about 10 minutes later on an odd-man rush, cutting the Soaring Eagle lead to 6-1. Cole Hepler and Brad Nolan were credited with assists on the Johnson goal, as Elmira skated into the final intermission with hefty 6-1 advantage.
 
In the third period, Elmira was called for four consecutive penalties, putting the Dutchmen on the power play for eight minutes. However, the EC penalty killers denied Lebanon Valley on all four chances to maintain its five-goal lead.
 
With the contest coming to a close, Powell punched in his second of the night, giving Elmira a six-goal advantage with just 1:17 to play in regulation. Powell knocked in a rebound from Cuce just outside the left crease, solidifying a 7-1 victory for the Purple and Gold. Cuce and MacLean registered assists on Elmira's final goal of the night.
 
In His Own Words…
Head Coach Aaron Saul '98 talks on the importance of tonight's quick start…
"We had to get out to a quick start tonight. I knew we had to get on them right off of the bat. Once we get one goal, I think we become a totally different team. It probably would have been that way last night had we scored early, but we didn't, so it was good for them tonight."
 
Coach Saul talks about Elmira's efforts on defense and the penalty kill…
"Their power play was at around 23-percent, one of the top power plays in the country. I told the boys we needed to stay out of penalty trouble and that wasn't the case tonight. But we did a really good job of pressuring them and forcing them to turn the puck over. I'm happy with that effort."
 
Coach Saul talks about EC's special teams…
"Our power play and penalty kill was dismal at the start of the year, but it's really come around lately. The guys have put in a lot of time and effort into it. The power play, penalty kill and special teams can win you games, and we are going to need that heading down the stretch if we want to make the playoffs."
 
Coach Saul talks about Moses' effort on the PK and scoring his first career goal…
"We have been riding him pretty hard for not getting his first goal, his father Tom included, who was an alum here. It was just great for him to score his first one tonight. He's a great kid who works his butt off every single day, so we are really happy for him."
 
Turning Point
Elmira's first-period offensive explosion was the key in tonight's win. The Soaring Eagles scored 37 seconds into the game and never looked back. EC tallied five goals in the first period, tied for the most goals in one period this season, and got it done by scoring on the power play, even strength, and shorthanded. The Soaring Eagles are 5-2-0 when scoring first this season.
 
Inside the Box Score

• The Soaring Eagles scored five times in the opening period en route to the big win.
• EC scored three goals on eight power-play chances.
• Lebanon Valley was held scoreless on 11 power plays.
• Elmira accumulated a total of 22 minutes on 11 penalties, while the Dutchmen served 18 minutes on nine infractions.
• Six different players scored a goal and 10 finished with at least one point for Elmira.
• Powell led all players with two goals to go along with one assist.
• Cuce and MacLean also recorded three-point games, with one goal and two helpers apiece.
• Ford tallied once and added one assist for two points.
• Moses and Hall each netted one goal, with the former coming shorthanded.
• Kramer finished tied for the team lead with two assists.
• Johnson scored the lone goal for Lebanon Valley.
• Nolan and Hepler each received an assist on Johnson's goal.
• Parker Butler '20 made 32 saves on 33 shots to earn the victory between the pipes.
• Eisenhower surrendered four goals in 16:42 of playing time and was tagged with the loss for the Dutchmen.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira improved to 7-11-1 overall and 2-6-0 inside ECAC West play.
• The Soaring Eagles evened their home record at the Murray Athletic Center to 5-5-0.
• EC swept the 2016-17 series against Lebanon Valley and is now 22-1-0 all-time against the Dutchmen.
• Seven goals are one shy of Elmira's season high of eight, which the Soaring Eagles scored in the series opener at Lebanon Valley in November.
• The last time Elmira scored five goals in a period was in the opening period that game, an 8-6 triumph over Lebanon Valley on November 5, 2016.
• The season sweep of the Dutchmen is the second of the year for Elmira, which also took both games from Nichols College in late November.
• Moses' shorthanded goal was the first of his EC career.
• With three points, Powell moved into first on the team with 23 points and 11 goals.
• Powell has recorded multiple points on seven occasions in his rookie campaign.
• The victory on Saturday bumped Butler's win-loss record above .500 at 4-3-0.
• Powell and Cuce are 11th and 12th, respectively, in Division III men's ice hockey in freshman scoring with 1.21 and 1.16 points per game.
• Cuce finished with multiple points for the fifth time this season.
• Saturday's game was the sixth multi-point effort of the year for Ford.
• MacLean posted a season high with three points and two assists.
• Kramer tied his season high with two points and two assists.

 
Up Next
Elmira returns to the ice next Friday, February 3rd, when the Soaring Eagles travel to face Utica College in ECAC West action. Following the matchup with the Pioneers, the Elmira men host Nazareth College at the Murray Athletic Center on Saturday, January 4th, at 7:00 p.m. as part of Elmira College's 35th Annual Athletics Alumni Weekend.