CORTLAND, NY – The Cortland men's hockey team, ranked 13th nationally by USCHO.com and 12th nationally by DIII Hockey News, opened State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play with a 5-1 victory over Fredonia on Friday night at Alumni Arena. Cortland moves to 3-1 (1-0 SUNYAC) on the year, while Fredonia is now 1-4 (0-1 SUNYAC).

Sam Christiano (Buffalo/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) had a three-point night for the Red Dragons with three assists. Justin Legault (Oakville, ON/Burlington Cougars), Johnny Facchini (Succasunna, NJ/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders), and Nathan Garnier (Laval, QC/Cornwall Colts) each had a goal and an assist. 

Connor Humphrey (Penfield/Rochester Jr. Americans) and Garrett Kreiger (Skaneateles/Utica Jr. Comets) each scored their first collegiate goals in the win. Ronan Mobley (Playa Del Ray, CA/New Hampshire Avalanche) made 17 saves in goals for the Red Dragons. 

Antoine St. Onge scored the lone Fredonia goal, while Ryan Bailey provided an assist. Charles-Anthony Barbeau stopped 36 shots in goal for the Blue Devils. 

Cortland got on the board 8:46 into the opening period, as Kyrkostas sent a saucer pass to Legault, who found the back of the net for his second goal of the year. 

With just over seven minutes remaining in the period, Mobley stopped St. Onge at close range with an excellent glove save to maintain the Cortland lead. Minutes later, Barbeau returned the favor to stop Domenic Settimo (East Meadow/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders) with three minutes remaining in the frame. In the final seconds of the period, Garnier rung a shot off the crossbar, as the score remained 1-0 into the first intermission. 

Cortland continued to pressure Fredonia in the second period, as was finally able to double the lead with just over five minutes remaining in the period on the power play. Legault worked the puck down low to Christiano, who had his initial shot saved, before Garnier knocked home the rebound for his team-leading fourth goal of the year. 

Cortland entered the intermission up two goals, along with a 27-9 advantage in shots on goal.

Just 1:30 into the third period, Humphrey netted his first goal as a Red Dragon, ripping a wrist shot from the slot after feeds from Garnier and Robert Hyde (North Babylon/New Jersey Titans). Exactly two minutes later, Fredonia got on the board, with St. Onge rifling a wrist shot into the top corner of the net after a scrum in the corner for the puck. 

Cortland sealed the victory with a pair of goals in the final seven minutes. Kreiger scored with 6:13 remaining off of assists from Christiano and Facchini. Facchini followed it up with a goal on the breakaway with his backhand, after Kyrkostas and Anthony Bernardo (Hauppauge/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders) combined for a pair of breakout passes leaving the Cortland defensive zone.