PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's ice hockey team scored four unanswered goals en route to a 4-1 win over Plattsburgh State in the championship game of the W.B. Mason Winter Classic, hosted by the Cardinals of Plattsburgh. With tonight's win, the Soaring Eagles won their fifth consecutive game to improve to 7-3-1 on the season, while the Cardinals of Plattsburgh dropped to 4-7-1.
 
Elmira's Christian Lloyd '20 and Logan Bateman '23 were named to the W.B. Mason Winter Classic All-Tournament Team, while senior winger Matthew Cuce '20 was selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
 
Cuce had another phenomenal game for the Soaring Eagles, as he tied for the team lead with three points on two goals and one assist. Both of his goals were scored in the second period, which padded EC's lead to three, and one of those tallied was scored shorthanded.
 
Anthony Parrucci '20 also finished with three points, as the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native scored one goal and logged a pair of assists. His lone goal was scored shorthanded, which also finished as tonight's game-winning goal.
 
EC's other point-getter tonight was senior Nick Ford '20, who produced the team's first goal of the night. It was Ford's third goal of the tournament and his fifth goal in as many games.
 
Bateman got the start between the pipes tonight and made 17 saves in 60 minutes of action to secure his second win in as many days.
 
Plattsburgh jumped out to a 1-0 lead in tonight's game behind a goal from Christian DiFelice, who knocked in the puck off of a rebound at 1:27 in the first period. However, Elmira answered with back-to-back goals in a 2:30 span early in the first period to go up, 2-1.
 
Ford leveled the game at the 4:29 mark with his seventh goal of the 2019-20 campaign. The scoring play began with Parrucci, who won a puck battle along the boards and dished it to Cuce at center ice. Cuce raced into the zone before sliding the puck into the low slot to Ford, who one-timed it into the back of the net.
 
Then, while on the penalty kill, Parrucci gave the Purple and Gold their first lead of the game at the 6:59 mark. An errant pass by a Plattsburgh defenseman from the behind the net was stolen by Parrucci in the slot, where he one-timed a quick shot past an unsuspecting Jimmy Poreda for the go-ahead goal. The tally sent the Soaring Eagles into the first intermission with a one-goal lead.
 
Elmira padded its lead with a pair of second-period goals, both of which came from the blade of Cuce. The two tallies brought his season goal total to nine, a team best.
 
EC's aggressiveness on the defensive end of the ice paid dividends, as a forced turnover set up the first of two Cuce goals at the 13:30 mark. Parrucci intercepted a pass from behind the Plattsburgh net, before centering a pass to Cuce in the slot, where one-timed it into the right side of the net for the goal.
 
Cuce gave Elmira a three-goal lead with his second goal of the period at the 15:24 mark. While on the penalty kill, Cuce blocked a shot at the point before collecting the loose puck and racing down the ice past the entire Plattsburgh defense. One-on-one with Plattsburgh's Pordea, Cuce routinely buried a wrist shot from just outside the crease for the shorthanded tally.
 
The two second-period goals from Cuce proved to be more than enough, as the Soaring Eagles held the Cardinals scoreless to secure a 4-1 victory and capture the W.B. Mason Winter Classic title.

In His Own Words…
Head Coach Aaron Saul '98 talks about today's championship game…
"We had a great performance from all 20 guys on the ice tonight. We didn't get down after they scored first and I knew we would be better today after a slow start yesterday coming off of the break. Matthew Cuce was tremendous this weekend. He was clearly the best player on the ice and deserved MVP honors for the tournament. Anthony Parrucci is our leader and the emotion he plays with every game motivates all of his teammates. Plattsburgh versus Elmira is always a great game and it is a shame that we haven't played more over the last few years, but it was fun to play back in their barn."
 
News and Notes

• Elmira won the W.B. Mason Winter Classic.
• Elmira extended its winning streak to five consecutive games.
• The Soaring Eagles dominated in shots on goal, 33-18.
• Neither team was able to score on the power play, as EC went 0-5 and Plattsburgh 0-3.
• EC improved to 38-36-5 all-time against Plattsburgh.  
• Tonight marked the first time EC and Plattsburgh have met since January 8, 2011.
• It marked EC's first win over Plattsburgh since November 17, 2006 (W, 3-2).
• It was also EC's first win on the road against Plattsburgh since November 17, 2001 (W, 2-1).
• Parrucci's goal went down as the game-winner.
• Cuce and Parrucci tied for the team lead in points with three apiece.
• Cuce scored two goals, including a shorthanded tally.
• Parrucci logged two assists and one goal, which was scored shorthanded.
• Ford scored his fifth goal in as many games.
• Bateman secured his second collegiate victory by making 17 saves.

Up Next
The Purple and Gold will look to continue their surging play next weekend when they take on another SUNYAC foe in No. 10-ranked Oswego State on Saturday, January 11. The opening faceoff is set for 7:00 p.m. in Oswego, New York.