Score: Elmira College 2 – Nazareth College 1 (OT)
Records: Elmira (8-12-1, 3-7-0 ECACW), Nazareth (6-14-2, 5-6-0 ECACW)
Location: Murray Athletic Center – Pine Valley, N.Y.
 
PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- Sixty minutes of regulation could not determine tonight's winner between Elmira College men's ice hockey and Nazareth College. However, the Soaring Eagles needed just 46 seconds of overtime to find the back of the cage, as rookie forward Anthony Parrucci '20 scored the game-winning goal to hand EC a 2-1 victory to cap Elmira College's 35th Annual Athletics Alumni Weekend.
 
Calvin Hughson '20 put the Purple and Gold on top with his first collegiate goal 7:55 into the first period. Passes from Brent Lafayette '19 and Chris Moses '19 created space at the blue line for Hughson, who weaved a heavy wrist shot through traffic to beat Nazareth's Michael Tilford, who was screened on the play.
 
Elmira maintained its one-goal lead through the end of the first period, despite four penalties, which yielded three power plays for the Golden Flyers, all of which EC fended off.
 
Penalties continued to be a theme throughout the remainder of the contest, especially in the second period, as the Soaring Eagles put Nazareth on the power play four times. Elmira's penalty killers denied the Golden Flyers on three of the four chances, as Nazareth's C.J. Murray cleaned up a rebound just outside the crease at 14:26 to tie the game at 1-1. Austin Romzek was credited with an assist on the game-tying goal.
 
The Soaring Eagles had plenty of chances to end tonight's game in regulation, as Elmira went on the power play twice in the third frame for a total of seven minutes. However, the Nazareth penalty killers stopped EC on its two power-play chances to send the contest into overtime.
 
Elmira only took one shot in the overtime period, but that lone attempt was a pivotal one. With the puck in EC's defensive zone, Noah Anderson '19 sent a high fluttering pass through the neutral zone and into Nazareth's defensive end, where Mitch Atkins '19 collected it. Atkins poked the puck off to the right side to Tyler Theodoulou '18, who slid it across the mouth of the goal to an unmarked Anthony Parrucci '20. The Pittsburgh native did not think twice with the puck on his blade, as he one-timed it into the open net to send the crowd of 1,118 at the Murray Athletic Center into a frenzy and lift the Soaring Eagles past Nazareth, 2-1.
 
Turning Point
Despite a lopsided shot count in favor of the Golden Flyers, 50-to-24, Elmira was able to offset most of Nazareth's momentum with its physicality and speed. Elmira's quickness on the ice was key in the overtime session, as a long fluttering pass from EC's defensive zone set up a 3-on-2. EC's unrelenting pressure and persistence ultimately led to Parrucci scoring the game-winning goal just 46 seconds into the extra period.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Nazareth more than doubled Elmira's shot total, 50-to-24.
• Both teams were called for nine penalties.
• Nazareth served 29 penalty minutes, while EC was called for 18 penalty minutes.
• The Golden Flyers went 1-for-7 on the power play.
• The Soaring Eagles came up empty on its six chances with the extra skater.
• Hughson scored the game-opening goal for Elmira in the first period.
• Parrucci knocked in tonight's game-winner, his second tally of the season.
• Moses, Lafayette, Theodoulou and Atkins all picked up assists.
• Sal Magliocco '17 got the start for EC and made 28 saves in 21:48 of work.
• Parker Butler '20 came in for relief duty and stopped 21 shots en route to his fifth win of the year.
• Murray scored Nazareth's lone goal, while Romzek picked up an assist.
• Nazareth's Michael Tilford made 22 saves in a losing effort.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira improved to 8-12-1 on the year and 3-7-0 in league play.
• Elmira has played in three overtime games in its last four contests.
• The Soaring Eagles won their first overtime game of the year (1-5-0).
• Elmira is three points behind sixth-place Stevenson and four points behind Nazareth and Neumann, who are tied for fourth in the ECAC West standings.
• Tonight's game marked the fifth time this season Elmira has been outshot and still won the game.
• Elmira also beat Nazareth in overtime during last year's Athletics Alumni Weekend, 4-3.
• Parrucci's game-winner is the first of his EC career.
• Butler improved to 5-3-0 in his rookie debut.

 
Up Next
Elmira  is back in action on Friday, February 10th, when the Soaring Eagles welcome Neumann University to the Murray Athletic Center for a 7:00 p.m. ECAC West showdown.