BOXSCORE
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Nationally ranked Neumann handed Fredonia State a 5-2 defeat Friday in the first of a two-game series.
Mike Rey broke a 1-1 tie with his third goal of the season. With the teams skating 4 on 4, Rey muscled his way out of the right corner with the puck. He cut across the goal crease and beat Blue Devil goaltender
Jeff Holloway (Red Deer, Alberta) to the far side at 5:39.
The Knights (12-3-0), ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division III, led the rest of the way.
Both teams played with equal shares of energy throughout the first period, and both goaltenders made key saves. Holloway made a pad save shortly which drew a loud cheer from his teammates, and Neumann's Matt Tendler reciprocated during a Fredonia State power play midway through the period.
A misplay in the neutral zone led to the first Neumann goal. Cory Park gathered in the puck near center ice when a Fredonia State player was unable to control it in his skates. Park continued up center ice and whistled a rising slapshot from just inside the blue line. It was his team-leading ninth goal and gave Neumann a 1-0 lead at 18:19.
The Blue Devils (6-6-3) scored the equalizer with a power-play goal at 5:18 of the second period.
Mat Hehr (Sherwood Park, Alberta) was credited with his sixth goal of the season after he deflected a shot from the blue line by
Bryan Ross (Livonia, Mich.).
The Knights anwered with Rey's goal, then gained control in the third period. Andrew Love made it 3-1 early in the final stanza, his eighth goal of the season. Fredonia State's
Jared Wynia (Calgary, Alberta) pumped life back into his team when he scored off a scramble at the 1:43 mark. The goal was Wynia's team-leading eighth of the season.
William Lacasse flipped a short shot up and over Holloway at 4:33 as the Knights regained a two-goal lead. Dave Gervais scored into an empty net with 40 seconds remaining.
The Blue Devils outshot the Knights, 29-28.
The teams are back in action 3 p.m. Saturday.
