BOXSCORE FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia State rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Brockport, 3-3, in SUNYAC men's hockey Friday at the Steele Hall Ice Arena.
Sophomore forward
Chad Bennett (Burlington, Ont.) redirected a shot from the point by sophomore defenseman
Ryan Wilkinson (Calgary, Alberta) to complete the Blue Devils' comeback with 57 seconds left in regulation.
Both teams had unsuccessful 3-on-1 rushes during overtime. The final horn sounded with Fredonia State swarming around Brockport goaltender Andrew Winsor.
Winsor earned the game's No. 1 star on the strength of 36 saves, many of them acrobatic. Bennett was the No. 2 star and Wilkinson -- with two assists -- was No. 3.
The tie left the Blue Devils 2-5-2 overall and 2-2-2 in the conference. Brockport is 2-7-2 overall, 1-3-1 in the SUNYAC.
For the eighth time in nine games, the Blue Devils yielded the first goal as Chris Cango put Brockport up 1-0 on a deflected shot just 2:56 into the game.
The Golden Eagles added to their lead 33 seconds into the second period as Blue Devil freshman goaltender
Christopher Eiserman (Newburyport, Mass.) was screened on a shot from the point by Chris Luker. It was Luker's fourth goal of the season.
Winsor was proving inpenetrable before Blue Devil junior forward
Stephen Castriota (Bellport, N.Y.) scored his fifth goal of the season at 12:45 of the second period. Wilkinson and sophomore
John DeFeo (Glen Head, N.Y.) picked up assists.
Brockport scored a momentum-shifting goal with 46 seconds left in the period. Bobby Connor netted his first of the season, assisted by Luker, following a scramble in front of Eiserman.
The Blue Devil comeback began with a milestone goal by junior defenseman
Cory Melkert (Ottowa, Ont.). It was Melkert's first collegiate goal -- and only his third point -- in his 50th game. His backhander at 13:27 of the third period was set up by nice passing from freshman defenseman
Zach White (Taberg, N.Y.) and junior foreward
Brian Doust (Calgary, Alberta).
Bennett's tying goal came 14 seconds after Eiserman was pulled in favor of an extra skater. The freshman goaltender then returned to the net and finished with 27 saves, three during the five-minute overtime.
In addition to Wilkinson, senior forward
Matt Owczarczak (Buffalo) assisted on the tying goal. It was Bennett's second goal fo the season..
The Blue Devils continued their weekend homestand Saturday against the No. 14-ranked Geneseo Blue Knights at 7 p.m. Doors open one hour prior to faceoff.Â
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