ELMIRA, NY— Elmira (5-4-2) scored three goals in the final 2:14 to earn a 6-4 non-conference victory tonight over visiting Buffalo State (4-8-2).
Elmira scored the only goal of the opening frame and then extended its lead to 2-0 early in the second period. Freshman defenseman Garrett Chardon (Old Field, NY/Ward Melville) put the Bengals on the scoreboard with his first collegiate goal on the power play with just over four minutes remaining in the middle stanza. Nick Berst (Depew, NY/Lancaster) evened the score just 56 seconds later, but the Soaring Eagles reclaimed the lead before the second intermission.
Ryan Salkeld (Virginia Beach, VA/Churchland) and Jason Zaleski (Scranton, PA/Scranton) scored a pair of goals just over two minutes apart midway through the third period to give the Bengals their first lead, but Elmira exploded for the late rally. The Soaring Eagles tied the score with just 2:14 remaining, and then pulled ahead just 33 seconds later, before adding an empty-netter in the final minute.
Elmira held a 43-32 advantage in shots, as Ian Sylves (Sloan, NY/JFK) finished with 37 saves for Buffalo State. The Bengals were 2 for 3 on the power play, and did not take a single penalty for the first time this season.
Buffalo State will face another non-conference opponent from the ECAC West when it travels to Rochester to play Nazareth on Saturday at 7 p.m.
