Skidmore-Buffalo State Box

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-- The Skidmore College men's hockey team came from two goals down to tie Buffalo State 2-2 in the championship game of the 9th Annual Skidmore Invitational, Sunday at the Saratoga Springs City Rink. The Bengals won the shootout tiebreaker 1-0 in eight rounds.
 
Elmira College (6-5) beat Fitchburg State (4-6) 4-3 in the consolation game.
 
Skidmore (3-3-3) spotted Buffalo State (4-2-3) a two-goal lead. The Bengals scored the lone first period goal just 2:25 in when Taylor McGraw tallied an unassisted marker on a backhander past the near post. 
 
Shane Avery made it 2-0 with an unassisted goal off a scramble in front at 12:14 of the second.  The Thoroughbreds cut it to 2-1 on Aaron Beck's power-play goal at 17:49. Beck knocked down a loose puck in front and lit the lamp for his seventh of the season with Nick Mannarino and Dalton Weinstein assisting.
 
Buff State kept Skidmore off the board until Phil Buonocore caught the inside of the post from a tough angle to tie it on a power-play goal at 16:40 of the third from Marc Cibelli and Tony Giacin.
 
Each team had chances in the overtime, but both goalies carried their hot play into the extra stanza. 
 
Thoroughbred freshman goalie Jack McDonald had 22 saves, including two in the overtime to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.  Tournament MVP Kevin Carr had 27 saves for the Bengals, following up on his first round shutout of Elmira.
 
The two goalies weren't done after the overtime. They matched each other save for save in the shootout until the eighth round, when Buffalo State's Taylor Pryce managed to get one through for the 1-0 tiebreaker.
 
Joining McDonald on the all-tournament team from Skidmore were Beck and Brad Schuler. Rounding out the selections were Mike Zannella of Buffalo State and Erick Erickson of Elmira.
 
In the consolation game, Fitchburg (4-6) took a 1-0 lead in the first after killing off a :50 5-on-3 power play. Sean Loebs dug the puck out from behind the net and fed Ryan Bedard in front at 17:44.  Mike Fish had the second assist.
 
Elmira (6-5) came out strong after the first break, pressuring the Falcons until Michael Collins tied it at 4:08 with his fourth of the season from Tommy Sumi and Jarryd ten Vaanholt. The Soaring Eagles made it 2-1 at 8:18 when Brian Depp scored from in front from Jesper Strale, and Alexander Taulien.  Kevin Holmes tied it for Fitchburg when he stole the puck at center ice and scored on a quick breakaway at 15:45.
 
The Soaring Eagles had another fast start in the third when Eric David scored 19 seconds from Summi for a 3-2 lead. Taulien made it 4-2 with a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 16:03 from ten Vaanholt and Dylan Herold.  Fitchburg pulled its goalie, leading to a Ryan Connolly power-play goal at 18:43 from Craig Halpin to cut it to one 4-3, but Elmira held on in the final minute for the win.
 
In his first start of the season, Ryan deMelo had 22 saves in goal for Elmira. Corey McMahon stopped 32 shots for Fitchburg.