ROCHESTER, NY – Visiting Neumann closed out Nazareth’s hockey season Wednesday by scoring three unanswered goals to break a 1-1 tie in a 4-1 victory at the Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex.
The game was a quarterfinal matchup in the ECAC West playoffs as the Knights improved to 16-7-3 overall. Nazareth’s season ends at 9-15-2. Neumann advances to Saturday’s semifinals at top-seeded Utica at 7 p.m.
Nazareth didn’t get the start it was looking for as the Knights scored just 1:24 into the contest. Michael Tilford made the initial save, however, Zac Lazzaro was able to push the rebound past the sprawled out goaltender.
Nazareth responded after the goal, answering just over four minutes later. Dominik Gabj skated past the right post and backhanded a pass back to Oliver Janzen for the one-timer goal. It was Janzen’s fourth goal of the season, while Gabaj gained his eighth assist. Nazareth enjoyed a 14-11 edge in first-period shots, but the Knights dominated play in the second period with 21 shots and scored twice to take a 3-1 advantage. Nick Perruccio and Joe Mitchell scored with Mitchell’s goal coming in the final minute of the period.
Nazareth kept the pressure on, with two near trickle-in goals from Sean Hallice and Gabaj. On each chance, the initial shot nearly crossed the line after an initial save from Anthony Pupplo.
Later in the period, Nazareth goalie Michael Tilford robbed two golden chances for the Knights, including a two-on-none opportunity where he slid across to make a blocker save.
Nazareth was energized in the third period and generated 21 shots with many coming in the final five minutes, but Pupplo was equal to the challenge, finishing with 44 saves. Nazareth pulled Tilford with about two minutes left, but couldn’t get a goal. The Knights, meanwhile, closed out the scoring on an empty-net goal by Liam Board with 19 seconds left.
Tilford played well for the Golden Flyers by making a career-high 38 saves.
