Sunday, January 22, 2017

Taylor gets hat trick in big win

The College at Brockport ice hockey team earned two crucial points Saturday night with a 6-4 victory over conference foe Cortland. The win improves the squad to 7-10-1 on the season and 5-6 in the SUNYAC.

Brockport got off to a slow start in the opening period when Cortland notched the first two goals of the game to hop out to a 2-0 lead. The Golden Eagles were able to salvage the period however when Hunter Laslo forced a shot past the Cortland goaltender with 1:28 remaining off of assists from Zac Sikich and Connor Hutchins.

The second and third periods were the Jake Taylor show, as the senior accounted for half of the Brockport goals on the night with his first career hat trick. The first came just 1:33 into the second when Doc Gentzler found him to tie the score at 2-2. Less than three minutes later, Taylor found the back of the net again on a power play goal that was assisted by Aidan Verbeke and Tim Kielich.

The stingy Brockport defense was able to stifle all the Red Dragon scoring chances in the period, giving them a 3-2 lead heading into the second intermission.

The offense got going again just over a minute into the third stanza, as this time it was Dylan Shapiro who found the back of the net, capitalizing on a Cortland turnover in their own zone. After a Red Dragon power play goal brought them back to within one, Taylor cued the hats, registering his third of the night, once again on the power play, with assists coming from Hutchins and Kielich.

Sikich got into the action with a power play goal of his own just over three minutes later, closing the door on Cortland with 5:14 left to play. The Red Dragons would add a goal in the final minute of play, but it was for not as Brockport was able to hold on for the 6-4 victory.

The power play was key for Brockport on the night, as they were able to convert on 50% (3-for-6) of their chances, including two that came in the final period.

Jake Moore had a solid night between the pipes, stopping 32 of the 36 shots he faced for a .890 save percentage and his second win of the season.