The No. 9-ranked Geneseo Ice Knights suffered a 3-2 loss to SUNY Brockport last Friday in their lone game of the weekend, dropping their record to 15-6-2 on the season.
Geneseo took an early lead in the first period on the power play as freshman Rich Manley scored on assists from juniors Jonathan Redlick and Danny Scagnelli. Brockport then tied the game at one early in the second on a breakaway.
Late in the second period on a Geneseo power play, Brockport took the lead on a shorthanded goal, the first Geneseo has allowed all season.
"The one goal that was pretty disturbing was their shorthanded goal," said head coach Chris Schultz. "We turned the puck over to their best player and he buried it."
Brockport outscored Geneseo 2-0 in the second period even as the Ice Knights held a 21-10 shot advantage. On the game, Geneseo outshot Brockport, 43-28.
"Their goalie got very lucky on probably ten shots that he didn't even see through screens," Schultz said. "It was a combination of him getting lucky and being good in position. But we did have a number of opportunities that we didn't finish."
Geneseo tied the game in the third period on a controversial goal. Freshman Zach Vit was credited with the goal, but several Brockport players protested that the puck went through a hole in the side of the net. Brockport's goalie slid his stick all the way through the hole in an attempt to say that the puck entered through the side. The goal stood and Geneseo tied the game at two.
Brockport scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period. Geneseo was called on a penalty for having too many men on the ice in the last minute of the game in an attempt to tie it up. The Ice Knights were trying to change players – Redlick for junior Jimmy Powers – and the call was contentious. Sophomore Adrian Rubeniuk made 25 saves in the loss.
For the third consecutive game, each of Geneseo's goals was scored when the line of Manley, Vit and Redlick was on the ice.
"That line's been carrying us," Schultz said. "That is a concern right now for sure. We have to find a way to get our [junior David] Arduin line, our senior line and [senior] Carson Schell's line to start chipping in, in some way," Schultz said.
Geneseo is now 9-4-1 in SUNYAC play. The Ice Knights hold a two-point lead over Morrisville State for second place and a first round playoff bye with two games remaining for each team. This weekend, the Ice Knights go on the road to face SUNY Cortland and No. 1-ranked SUNY Oswego.