Amherst Outlasts Men’s Ice Hockey in Overtime, 3-2

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.  – Suffolk men's ice hockey fell to Amherst, 3-2, in overtime in the opening game of the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic Friday afternoon at Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2 | Amherst 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-4-1) | Amherst (4-4-1) 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams traded goals in the opening period. Amherst got on the board first as Romulus Riego de Dios tucked in the puck at the 16:08 mark after a scuffle in front had Austin McNicholas out of position, which allowed the Mammoths to capitalized. The Rams' response came 1:07 later. Amherst was attempting to clear the zone, but Nolan Leonard caused a turnover that Marko Giourof picked up and took towards the cage. He wristed a shot over Andrew Palena's glove side shoulder and into the top right of the net to make it 1-all, which remained at the first intermission. 
• Similar to the first, the teams swapped one score apiece in the second as well. This time it was the blue-and-gold that lit the lamp first 6:15 into the middle period. Eight seconds into the power play Daniel McKiernanpushed the Rams in front thanks to help from Alex Ondos. The lead did not last long as the Mammoths answered 2:17 later to even the score at 2-all, which stayed true as the teams went to the locker room for the second time. 
• A late penalty in the third period by Ralph Berry allowed Amherst to go into the overtime with an extra skater and it proved to pay off as Caden Olenczak tucked the pack away at the 2:32 mark to push the Mammoths to victory.  

NETMINDER NOTES

• McNicholas took the setback despite a 23-save effort.t 
• Palena earned the victory with 29 stops to his credit. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Giourof and McKiernan scored one goal apiece. 
• Leonard and Ondos dished out one assist each. 
• The Rams outshot Amherst, 31-26.
• Suffolk went 1-for-4 on the power play.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Amherst met for the first time. 
• McKiernan scored in back-to-back games. 
• Ondos has set-up a strike in two straight contests. 
• Giourof stretched his point streak to three games. In that span he has three goals and two assists. 
• Leonarod has logged a point in six straight games. Over that stretch he has produced eight helpers. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk will conclude action in the Empire State tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 3 in the consolation contest at 3:30 p.m. versus either Plattsburgh State or Wesleyan.