BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Connecticut Connection was established Friday in Fredonia's 4-2 SUNYAC men's hockey win over Buffalo State.

Right-winger Todd Schauss (Terryville, Conn.) scored the go-ahead goal and his centerman, Tommy DeFelice (Tolland, Conn.), put the finishing touches on the win with an empty-netter after assistant on the winning goal.               

Oskar Gerhardson (Haessleholm, Sweden) and Samuel Wilbur (Saginaw, Mich.) had the first two Fredonia goals and the team's penalty-killers stepped up big in the third period in front of goaltender Eric Bogart (London, Ont.).

The Blue Devils improved to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the SUNYAC while earning another point in the Battle By The Lake. Fredonia leads the all-sport series with Buffalo State, 9-2, heading into Saturday's men's hockey rematch at Steele Hall.

Buffalo State is 0-1 both overall and in the conference.

The teams traded goals in a span of 10 seconds midway through the first period. Buffalo State took a 1-0 lead when a shot by Colin O'Conor from the right point emerged out of a maze of players and behind Bogart. Gerhardson won the ensuing faceoff, Thomas Dunn (Smithtown, N.Y.) slid the puck to Marcus Ortiz (Richardson, Texas), and Ortiz skated the puck behind the net and found Gerhardson alone in front for the equalizer.

The Blue Devils used speed to their advantage in the second period. Wilbur broke out of the defensive end and raced up the left wing, took a short back-hander, then pounced on his own rebound and put the puck behind Buffalo State goaltender Mike DeLaVergne to give Fredonia its first lead, 2-1.

Buffalo State pulled even just under one minute later on a slapshot by Anthony Passero before Schauss put the Blue Devils back into the lead for good with a power-play goal. Schauss was alone in the left slot to put away a rebound of a shot from the opposite wing by DeFelice. Hunter Long (Lebanon, Tenn.) was also credited with an assist.

Fredonia maintained its one-goal advantage in the third period before adding to it late. Sloppy play by Buffalo State negated a power play with just over two minutes left. In addition, the Bengals pulled DeLaVergne in favor of an extra attacker and were skating with a 6-on-4 advantage before they were called for having too many men on the ice. With his team now on a power play, DeFelice controlled the ensuing faceoff and scored into the empty net from just beyond center ice with 22 seconds left.

The Blue Devil penalty-kill units killed three straight penalties in the period – and were 6 of 6 in the game – while Bogart was busy making 17 of his 37 saves.