After three straight conference wins and 15 straight wins overall, the Geneseo Ice Knights traveled four hours northeast to Canton to take on the SUNY Canton Kangaroos on Saturday Feb 2.
Going into the game, Geneseo had never lost to their northern out-of-conference foes in regulation, going 7-0-1 in their previous eight matchups with the Kangaroos. Forty minutes away from the United States border with Canada, Geneseo squared off against the Kangaroos as they battled for their 16th straight win of the season.
The Knights seemed predestined to continue their success against Canton from the opening puck drop. On an early powerplay, junior forward Conlan Keenan redirected a shot past the Canton goalie for a 1-0 lead just five minutes into the game.
Keenan and the Knights wasted no time adding to that lead as Keenan scored again just under a minute-and-a-half later assisted by junior forward Andrew Romano and junior forward Tyson Empey. It was the ninth time Romano assisted on one of Keenan’s goals this season.
Before the end of the first period, Geneseo scored two more times. Senior forward Joe Serpico and junior defender Will Campion each notched a goal for the Knights.
In the second period, Geneseo was already up 4-0 on the Kangaroos when sophomore forward Dan Bosio got in on the scoring party, netting his sixth goal of the season.
Despite the stunning scoring output, Geneseo would be shut out in the third period. It is only the ninth time this season that Geneseo has been held scoreless in 20 minutes of play. Geneseo has scored in 54 of 63—86 percent—regulation periods this season.
Geneseo could have hypothetically clutched the win with only a single goal for the whole game as they held their opponent scoreless for the 11th time this season. Senior goaltender Devin McDonald has been in goal for all 11 shutouts—the most in a single season in NCAA Division III history.
According to McDonald, the shutout record has been on his mind this season and has added some motivation each night the goalie hits the ice.
The win on Saturday was also McDonald’s 65th career victory which ties him for the eighth most victories in NCAA Division III history. McDonald has had a great career so far in Geneseo, but his senior campaign this season may be his best.
McDonald credited his teammates for some of his success this year.
“We play so well defensively and don’t give up many scoring chances and like to keep as much to the outside as we can,” McDonald said. “It allows for me to get in a groove and rhythm and [I] just have been able to keep that going so far and hope to keep it going the rest of the year.”
McDonald and the Knights will have one more home game to continue their fantastic season thus far and stay in first place in the SUNY Athletic Conference. They take on the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons at the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena on Friday Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. From there, they play three straight road games to finish the season before postseason play.