FREDONIA, NY – The Cortland Red Dragons continued their hot streak with a 3-2 victory over Fredonia on Saturday evening, marking their fourth consecutive win and seventh straight SUNYAC (State University of New York Athletic Conference) victory. The nationally-ranked Red Dragons, now 15-5 overall and 8-1 in SUNYAC play, capitalized on strong special teams play, including two power-play goals, to edge out the Blue Devils.
With the win, Cortland extended its dominant run, while Fredonia dropped to 7-13 on the season and 5-4 in conference play.
Special Teams Shine for Cortland
The game saw a standout performance from the Red Dragons’ power play, which delivered two crucial goals. Colby Seitz (Eden/Corpus Christi Ice Rays) and Domenic Settimo (East Meadow/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders) each tallied a power-play goal. Seitz’s marker, his eighth of the season, would go on to be the game-winner. Meanwhile, Settimo, who scored his 10th goal of the year, added to his solid performance by winning 10-of-16 faceoffs.
Nate Berke (Williamsville/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) led the Red Dragons’ offensive efforts with a goal and an assist, boosting his point total to seven in the last four games. In net, Ronan Mobley (Playa Del Ray, CA/New Hampshire Avalanche) was stellar, stopping 36 shots to keep Fredonia at bay.
Justin Legault (Oakville, ON/Burlington Cougars) also contributed significantly with two assists, helping to set up both of the team’s power-play tallies.
Fredonia Gets on the Board First
The Blue Devils struck early, taking a 1-0 lead at 8:06 in the first period. Fredonia’s Antoine St. Onge fired a shot on goal that Mobley was able to stop, but Ryan Bailey was in the right place at the right time, tapping in the rebound for his first goal of the night. Despite the early deficit, Cortland’s defense and goaltending kept the game within reach.
Fredonia led the shots on goal in the first period, 9-8, but Cortland quickly responded in the second.
Berke Knots the Game Early in the Second
The Red Dragons came out firing in the second period. Just 38 seconds into the frame, Berke scored his 14th goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1. The goal came after a well-executed pass from Sam Christiano (Buffalo/Buffalo Jr. Sabres), who found Legault behind the net. Legault then sent a perfect drop pass to Berke, who one-timed the puck into the corner of the net.
Cortland continued to build momentum with the man advantage. At the 7:12 mark, Fredonia was whistled for tripping, and the Red Dragons capitalized on the ensuing power play. Settimo received a pass from Johnny Facchini (Succasunna, NJ/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders) at the right point, skated into the right circle, and unleashed a wrist shot past Fredonia goalie Charles-Anthony Barbeau for a 2-1 lead.
Fredonia Answers Quickly, but Cortland Responds
Fredonia answered just 21 seconds into the third period when Bailey scored his second goal of the night. His shot from the right side found its way into the top left corner of the net, pulling the Blue Devils even at 2-2. Bailey’s quick strike seemed to shift the momentum in Fredonia’s favor, but Cortland’s special teams came through once again.
Seitz Scores Power-Play Game-Winner
Midway through the third, Fredonia’s discipline faltered as the Blue Devils were whistled for a pair of penalties. The Red Dragons took full advantage of the opportunity, with Seitz scoring the game-winning goal. Following a faceoff win by Stephen Kyrkostas (Selden/Johnstown Tomahawks), Berke skated across the blue line and slid a perfect pass to Seitz in the slot. Seitz quickly fired a wrist shot into the corner, putting Cortland up 3-2.
Fredonia had one final opportunity when Cortland was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with 5:11 remaining, but the Red Dragons successfully killed off the penalty. In the final minutes, Fredonia pulled Barbeau for an extra attacker in a last-ditch effort to tie the game, but Cortland’s defense held strong, securing the 3-2 victory.
With the win, Cortland remains firmly in the hunt for SUNYAC supremacy, while Fredonia will look to bounce back in their next contest.
Cortland will return to action on Friday, February 6, at home against Plattsburgh, while Fredonia will take on Geneseo in their next outing.