HERSHEY, PA – The nationally 13th/14th-ranked Cortland men's hockey team scored five times in the second period to pull away with a 7-2 victory over Lebanon Valley on Friday evening in the season opener. Cortland in now 1-0 on the year, while the Flying Dutchmen fall to 0-1.

Newcomers combined for five of Cortland's seven goals in the contest. Sam Christiano (Buffalo/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) scored a pair of goals for the Red Dragons, while Matthew DeSpirt (Hamburg/Northeast Generals) had a goal and two assists. Justin Legault (Oakville, ON/Burlington Cougars) had a goal and an assist, while Nathan Garnier (Laval, QC/Cornwall Colts) netted a goal.  

Nate Berke (Williamsville/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) scored and assisted and Colby Seitz (Eden/Corpus Christi Ice Rays) registered two assists to lead the Red Dragon returners. Domenic Settimo (East Meadow/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders) scored a goal, and also won 14-of-21 faceoffs. Ronan Mobley (Playa Del Ray, CA/New Hampshire Avalanche) made 22 saves in goal for Cortland.

Chris Branch stopped 34 shots in goal for the Flying Dutchmen, and Ethan Hoover and Dylan Miller scored for Lebanon Valley.  

Cortland got on the board first at 4:21 of the first period, as DeSpirt passed across the ice to Legault for the opening goal. The Red Dragons peppered Branch with 13 shots in the period, but the Flying Dutchmen netminder was able to get to the intermission trailing by just a goal.

Early in the second period, Settimo doubled the Cortland advantage after taking a pass by Seitz similar to how the Red Dragons got their first goal.

Christiano scored his first goal of his career with just more than five minutes remaining in the frame, and what turned out to be the game-winning goal, with Legault and DeSpirt assisting.

Cortland scored three times in an under two-minute stretch to give the Red Dragons a six-goal advantage into the second intermission. Garnier netted his first collegiate goal at 17:10 of the period off a feed from Johnny Facchini (Succasunna, NJ/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders), and DeSpirt also netted his first goal of his college career at 18:04 after an assist from Anthony Bernardo (Hauppague/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders). Berke scored a short-handed goal at 19:10 off assists from Seitz and Evan Beaudry (Mississauga, ON/Kemptville 73's).

With under ten minutes remaining in the third period, Lebanon Valley scored twice in the span of 30 seconds in an attempt to spark a comeback, with Hoover scoring and then Miller scoring a power-play goal.

Mobley made a save on a breakaway attempt for Lebanon Valley with just under two minutes remaining to keep the Cortland lead at four goals, and Christiano sealed the victory with a goal in the final minute of play.
 
Score by periods:
Cortland               1-5-1       7
Lebanon Valley    0-0-2     2

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Matthew DeSpirt 1-2, Sam Christiano 2-0, Justin Legault 1-1, Nate Berke 1-1, Colby Seitz 0-2, Nathan Garnier 1-0, Domenic Settimo 1-0, Johnny Facchini 0-1, Anthony Bernardo 0-1, Evan Beaudry 0-1
Lebanon Valley: Dylan Miller 1-0, Ethan Hoover 1-0, Cade Helmer 0-1, Cade Freer 0-1, Cameron Croteau 0-1, Dylan Gutierrez 0-1

Saves: Ronan Mobley (Cortland) 22 saves (2 GA in 59:53); Chris Branch (Lebanon Valley) 34 saves (7 GA in 60:00)

Shots on goal: Cortland 41 (13-15-13), Lebanon Valley 24 (5-7-12)
Penalties: Cortland 4-8:00, Lebanon Valley 7-14:00
Power Play: Lebanon Valley 1-3, Cortland 1-7

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 1-0 (ranked 13th/14th in Div. III), Lebanon Valley (Flying Dutchmen) 0-1