READING, PA – Four different players scored for the Bengals, and Marcus Cumberworth (Surrey, BC/Olds Grizzlys) stopped a career-high 48 shots in goal, to lead the Buffalo State men's hockey team earned a 4-3 victory over Alvernia on Saturday evening to open the 2024 year.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 4, Alvernia – 3
LOCATION: Body Zone – Reading, PA
RECORDS: Buffalo State (7-8-0), Alvernia (7-5-1)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Connor Bizal (Elk River, MN/Boston Jr. Rangers), Anthony Morin (Greenfield Center, NY/Utica Jr. Comets), Michael McCosh (Glendale, AZ/New Mexico Ice Wolves), and Ryan Messing (Hamburg, NY/Metro Jets) scored for Buffalo State.
• Messing and Morin also contributed an assist each.
• Cumberworth's 48 saves bested his previous career high of 41, and has made 40 saves in three consecutive games, all victories.
• Ten different Bengals registered a point in the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Buffalo State fell behind early in the first period, as Logan Vande Meerakker gave the host Wolves a 1-0 lead under seven minutes into the contest.
• The Bengals struck back for an equalizer in the final minute of the period, as Bizal netted his second goal of the season, assisted by Joe Glamos (Baldwinsville, NY/New Jersey Titans) and Jason Kwestel (Rockaway, NJ/Valley Wildcats).
• Early in the second period, Morin and McCosh both scored in the span of 70 seconds to put Buffalo State up 3-1.
• Parker Allison (Dallas, TX/Neepawa Natives) and Messing assisted on Morin's goal, while Aidan LaValley (Champlain, NY/Vermont Lumberjacks) and Drayton Todoroff (Jackson, MI/Amarillo Wranglers) had the helpers for McCosh.
• A flurry of three goals in under a minute midway through the third period made the game tight until the end.
• Vande Meerakker's second of the game on the power play made it 3-2, before Messing scored off assists from Gage Brown (Raymond, NE/Anchorage Wolverines) and Morin to re-establish the Bengals' two-goal advantage 34 seconds later. The assist was also Brown's first collegiate point.
• The Wolves needed just 15 seconds to pull within one again, with 7:21 remaining.
• Alvernia pulled the goalie in the final minute, but the Bengals were able to hold on for the victory.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Vande Meerakker's two goals led the way for Alvernia, will Eli Rivers was the other scorer.

 
UP NEXT
The teams face off tomorrow at 4:00 pm to close the weekend series.