WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Cortland men's hockey team scored four consecutive goals spanning the first and second periods to build a 4-1 lead and held off a late comeback by nationally seventh-ranked Wilkes University to earn a 4-3 non-conference victory Tuesday night at the Toyota SportsPlex. The Red Dragons improved to 10-5-1 with the win, while the Colonels dropped to 9-3.

Graduate student Alex Storjohann (Phoenix, AZ/Kirkland Lake), senior Michael Sciore (Syracuse/Buffalo Jr. Sabres), junior Trevor Veneklase (Brentwood, TN/Seahawks Hockey Club) and sophomore Jona Hildreth (Lockport/Walpole Express) each scored goals for Cortland.

Seniors Ethan Homitz (Allison Park,PA/New Hampshire Monarchs) and Jacob Gaydos (Sandusky, OH/Wisconsin Rapid Riverkings), junior Matt Jahn (Glen Allen, VA/Charlotte Rush), sophomores Sutter Donegan (Cicero/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and Cameron Knowlton (Kenai, AK/Charlotte Rush) and freshman Johnny Facchini (Succasunna, NJ/PAL Junior Islanders) collected one assist apiece.

Senior goalie Owen Zdunski (Findley Lake/Chippewa Steel) turned aside 31 shots in earning his first career victory for the Red Dragons. Wilkes goalie Luc Fox registered 21 saves.

Phil Erickson and Tyler Dill each recorded a goal and assist for the Colonels. Jay Gallagher added a goal, and Donald Flynn and Michael Gurska chipped in with one assist.

Gallagher gave Wilkes a 1-0 lead 7:44 into the game before Storjohann tied the game at the 9:09 mark of the first period. The Red Dragons outscored the Colonels, 3-0, in the second period to build a 4-1 lead. Hildreth netted his fourth goal of the season at 2:37, and Veneklase followed with his fourth goal of the campaign less than two minutes later. Sciore scored what proved to be the game winner at the 10:25 mark.

Wilkes started to cut into the lead when Erickson scored at 5:26 of the third period to make it a 4-2 game. Just past the midway point of the period, the Colonels had a two-man advantage for 1:44, but the Red Dragons killed off the power plays to hold onto their lead. Cortland was whistled for another penalty with 2:13 remaining, and Dill scored on the power play with Fox pulled for an extra skater with 47 seconds on the clock. The Colonels started the ensuing faceoff with an empty net, but a Wilkes player was sent to the box with 11 seconds remaining sealing the 4-3 Cortland win.
 
Cortland 4, Wilkes 3

Score by periods:
Cortland        1-3-0        4
Wilkes           1-0-2        3

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists) 
Cortland: Alex Storjohann 1-0, Jona Hildreth 1-0, Trevor Veneklase 1-0, Michael Sciore 1-0, Sutter Donegan 0-1, Ethan Homitz 0-1, Johnny Facchini 0-1, Matt Jahn 0-1, Jacob Gaydos 0-1, Cameron Knowlton 0-1
Wilkes: Phil Erickson 1-1, Tyler Dill 1-1, Jay Gallagher 1-0, Donald Flynn 0-1, Michael Gurska 0-1

Saves: Owen Zdunski (Cortland) 31 saves (3 GA in 60:00); Luc Fox (Wilkes) 21 saves (4 GA in 58:09), Empty Net 1:51

Shots on Goal: Wilkes 34 (5-14-15), Cortland 25 (11-10-4)
Penalties: Cortland 6-12:00, Wilkes 4-16:00
Power Play: Wilkes 1-6, Cortland 0-3

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 10-5-1, Wilkes (Colonels) 9-3 (ranked 7th in USCHO Div. III poll)