ROCHESTER, NY -- Nazareth got goals from six different players Saturday as the Golden Flyers rallied from an early deficit to defeat visiting Neumann in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference game, 6-4, at the Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex.
The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the Golden Flyers, who improved to 8-14-2 overall and 7-9-1 in the UCHC. It was Nazareth's second win of the season over Neumann, which dropped to 8-14-1 and 5-11-1.
Four players had one goal and one assist -- Nick Charron, Ray Falso, Henry McKinney and Joey Schaefer. Ryan Turse had two assists. Matt Lakus and Ethan Louisos also scored goals.
Nazareth had the better of the play in the opening period with a 16-6 edge in shots on goal, but the Golden Flyers failed to capitalize on four power play chances as Neumann claimed a 1-0 lead.
The second period turned into a scoring frenzy as Nazareth scored four times and Neumann twice. Three straight Nazareth goals in a six-minute stretch gave the Golden Flyers a seemingly safe 3-1 lead. The Knights, however, came back to score twice within two minutes to tie the score again.
Louisos scored Nazareth's first goal of the game, his seventh of the season, off assists from Turse and Joshua Dressler. Less than a minute later, Falso scored his team-leading ninth goal with help from Charron and Mitch Culver to give Nazareth a 2-1 edge. Falso's goal also marked his 35th of his career, tying himn with current assistant coach
James McDonald for first place all-time.
Nazareth's lead grew to 3-1 when Lakus scored for the second time this season woth McKinney and Schaefer assisting. After Neumann tied the score, Schaefer put the Golden Flyers back in fron after stealing the puck deep in the Knights' zone and scored unassisted for a 4-3 lead.
Nazareth finally cashed in the power play at 4:51 of the third period as Charron buried a shot from the right point after receiving a pass from Cole Moore. Turse also assisted. The third period also included a five-minute penalty kill for the Golden Flyers after Schaefer was issued a major penalty and a game misconduct for checking from behind. Not only dod the Golden Flyers kill the penalty, they didn't allow a shot on goal during the five-minute opportunity.
Neumann was able to trim Nazareth's lead to 5-4 with a goal at 14:42 and the Knights had a chance to tie the game later on, but Nazareth goaltender Matt Sayles made a key save on a Neumann breakaway opportunity.
Neumann pulled its goaltender, Kyle Pantalone, with 1:30 left in favor of an extra skater and McKinney was able to complete the scoring for Nazareth with an empty-net tally with :24 left. Falso and Liam Quinlivan assisted.
Nazareth had a 38-25 edge in shots on goal with Sayles making 21 saves.
The Golden Flyers close out their regular-season schedule Sunday with a home game against Manhattanville at 1 p.m. Nazareth will honors its six seniors who will be competing in their final home game -- Culver, Falso, Moore, Carmine Alberga, JT Entelisano, Grant Gallo.