Senior forward Kevin Aufiero's goal at 11:49 of the third period tied the game at five, but SUNY Canton scored late to secure a 6-5 victory.

Skyhawks and Kangaroos combine to utilize 11 different goal scorers

CANTON, N.Y. (January 17, 2015) – In a back and forth game that featured 11 goals and four ties, SUNY Canton scored with 30 seconds remaining in regulation to earn a 6-5 victory over Stonehill College this evening in non-conference men's ice hockey action at Roos House.

Stonehill utilized a balanced offensive effort with five different goal scorers, while seven other Skyhawks recorded assists. The two teams combined for 11 goals, the most in any Stonehill game this season, and 79 shots on goal.  

Senior forward Kevin Aufiero (Canton, Massachusetts/Walpole Express) totaled two points on a goal and an assist to lead the offensive outburst, while classmate Stephen Balsamo (Atkinson, New Hampshire/Brewster Academy) and juniors Travis Army (Englewood, Colorado/Worcester Academy), Anthony D'Elia (Stamford, Connecticut/Gunnery School), and Robbie Dorgan (Ossining, New York/Boston Bulldogs) contributed with a goal each.

Freshman defenseman Brendan White (North Reading, Massachusetts/Kimball Union Academy) helped set up a pair of goals with his two assists, while classmate Tommy Newton (Hollis, New Hampshire/Portland Jr. Pirates) and juniors Brian Furey (Quincy, Massachusetts/BC High), Kevin Airoldi (Kennebunk, Maine/Boston Jr. Rangers), Thomas Jenkins (Canton, Massachusetts/Williston Northampton), Garrett White (Wakefield, Massachusetts/Boston Bulldogs) and Dan Graham (Billerica, Massachusetts/Williston Northampton) chipped in with one apiece.

Making his third start of the season in net, junior goaltender Matt Palella (Chicago, Illinois/Loyola Academy) turned aside a game-high 35 shots, including 14 in each of the first two periods.

Junior Robbie Dorgan was one of five goalscorers for Stonehill this evening.

After over 14 minutes of scoreless action, freshman Josh Sova (Oswego, New York/Syracuse Stampede) opened the scoring for SUNY Canton with the help of assists from classmate Trenton Yule (Oswego, New York/Kanata Stallions) and junior netminder Louie Puig (Chicago, Illinois/Soo Eagles). The goal, which the Kangaroos scored with a man advantage, would be the only power play tally of the contest for either side.

Just 4:29 into the second period, Stonehill equalized on Army's first goal of the season. The home team regained the lead at the 12:19 mark of the second as junior defenseman Taylor Pickering (Marine City, Michigan/Soo Eagles) beat Palella, but less than a minute later Dorgan brought the Skyhawks even for the second time.

SUNY Canton's Dave Schneider (Indianapolis, Indiana/Capital District Selects) capped a stretch of three goals in under two minutes with his tally at the 14:04 mark to give the Kangaroos a 3-2 edge, but Airoldi and Furey connected with D'Elia three minutes later to even the score yet again. Sophomore Nick Vasilopoulos (Montreal, Quebec/Brooks) put SUNY Canton ahead for the fourth time heading into the second intermission with his goal at the 19:20 mark of the second.

Canton pushed its lead up to two midway through the third period, when freshman Kyle Matsumoto (Walnut, California/Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights) scored his third of the season, but consecutive Stonehill goals by Balsamo and Aufiero at the 10:38 and 11:49 marks levelled the score for the fourth and final time.

With the game still deadlocked at five in the final minute, SUNY Canton freshman defenseman Brandon McMartin (Toronto, Ontario/Smiths Falls Bears) netted the game-winner with 30 seconds on the clock. Stonehill pulled Palella in favor of an extra attacker with the hope of tying the score for the fifth time, but the Kangaroos held on for the narrow victory.

Stonehill (7-4-2, 3-0-1 NE-10) and SUNY Canton (5-10-1) will be right back at it tomorrow with a 3 p.m. contest at Roos House.

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