CORTLAND, NY – The Cortland men's hockey team scored two goals in the third period to overcome a one-goal deficit, for a 2-1 home victory over Fredonia in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play on Saturday evening. The Red Dragons are now 4-2-0 (2-0-0 SUNYAC), while Fredonia is 0-6-1 (0-1-1 SUNYAC).
 
Justin Legault (Oakville, ON/Burlington Cougars) had a goal and an assist for the Red Dragons. Sam Christiano (Buffalo/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) netted the game winner for Cortland. Shane Shelest (Pointe-Claire, QC/Wellington Dukes) made 25 saves for his second victory of the season in goal.
 
Charles-Anthony Barbeau stopped 44 shots for Fredonia, while Garrison Gagnon scored the lone goal for Fredonia.
 
The opening period was scoreless for the first time in five home games for the Red Dragons this season, with Fredonia firing seven shots on goal that were all saved by Shelest, and Barbeau making nine saves for the Blue Devils.
 
The Blue Devils got on the board first just over five minutes into the second period, as Gagnon fired a shot through traffic from the blue line into the back of the net, with Ethan Pitzman and Owen Cross providing assists.
 
The Red Dragons had three opportunities on the power play in the second period, but were unable to equalize on any of their chances with the extra man. With Shelest pulled for an extra attacker during a delayed penalty, Legault nearly scored, but his shot struck off the post and stayed out.
 
During the second period, Cortland fired 20 shots on goal, but Barbeau remained perfect for the game to keep the game at 1-0 in favor of Fredonia into the second intermission.
 
Cortland finally broke through to tie the score just before the midway point of the third period, as Legault netted his fourth goal of the season into the top right corner of the net from the right side after a feed from Colby Seitz (Eden/Corpus Christi IceRays) between the legs of a Fredonia defender. Andrew Clouden (Hamburg/Seacoast Spartans) also assisted on the tying goal.
 
With just 3:07 remaining in the period, Cortland netted the game-winning goal. Dino Mannetta (Wading River/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders) skated down the left side and fired a shot on goal that was stopped by Barbeau. Legault collected the rebound below the goal line and quickly slipped a pass to the left circle to Christiano, who ripped a shot that squeaked through Barbeau and into the back of the net for Christiano's team-leading fifth goal of the season.
 
Fredonia pulled Barbeau for an extra attacker in the final two minutes of the period, but Shelest was able to make four big saves in the final minute of action, including one save with one second remaining, to secure Cortland's second league victory on the opening weekend of conference play.