HERSHEY, Pa. -- Host Lebanon Valley scored three unanswered goals in the third period Saturday to rally for a 4-2 men's hockey victory over Nazareth at Hersheypark Arena.
The victory was just the third of the season for the Dutchmen, who improved to 3-12-0 overall and 2-8-0 in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference. Nazareth had defeated Lebabon Valley, 3-0, back on Nov. 5, but Saturday's loss dropped Nazareth to 6-10-2 overall and 5-5-1 in the UCHC.
Nazareth got second-period goals from
Jake Peters and
Henry McKinney to erase a 1-0 disadvantage and appeared poised to score its second road win of the weekend after knocking off Arcadia 7-2 on Friday.
Lebanon Valley, however, tied the score just 26 seconds into the third period as the Dutchmen converted on the power play after a penalty to Nazareth's
Mitch Culver late in the second period.
Another Nazareth penalty, this one to
Nick Charron at 6:33, resulted in the go-ahead goal for the Dutchmen at the 8-minute mark.
The Golden Flyers tried desperately to get the equalizing goal and pulled goaltender
Matt Sayles in the closing seconds in favor of an extra skater, but Lebanon Valley tacked on an empty-net goal with 48 seconds left.
After scoreless first period, Lebanon Valley scored at 7:58 of the second period to take a 1-0 lead. Nazareth answered less than three minutes later as McKinney netted his fifth goal of the season off an assist from Peters.
Nazareth then cashed in on a power play of its own at 18:01 as Peters scored his first career goal with assists from
Ryan Turse and
Johnny Jackson. That set the stage for the decisive third period in which Nazareth was outscored 3-0.
Nazareth had a 31-27 edge in shots on goal and Sayles finished with 23 saves.
After four straight road games, Nazareth returns home to the Bill Gray's Iceplex for a pair of UCHC games next weekend. The Golden Flyers host Chatham Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Stevenson Sunday at 1 p.m.