PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After six consecutive non-conference games to open the second half of the season, the Neumann University men's ice hockey team returned to United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) play with a 6-1 win over Chatham University on Friday evening.
 
Barry Kneedler led the way for Neumann with three points (1 g, 2 a) on the night, while Clayton Boyd (2 a), Zac Boyle (1 g, 1 a), Richie Brusco (1 g, 1a) and Joe Mitchell (1 g, 1 a) each chipped in with two apiece. Senior net-minder Matt Gibney was excellent in goal, making 20 saves in the win.
 
In the team's tenth straight road game, the Knights were eager to get back into the win column. Neumann peppered the Cougar cage with 13 first period shots, but despite playing in the Chatham end for much of the period, it was the hosts who struck first at the 8:12 mark to take a 1-0 lead into intermission.
 
Neumann's persistence paid off in the second stanza. Finally rewarded for their territorial and shot advantages, the Knights broke through midway through the frame on a power play goal from Chris Ordoobadi. From there, the floodgates opened. Neumann tallied three more times in the period on goals from Boyle, Mitchell and Kneedler to blow the game wide open and take a 4-1 lead into the third.
 
Up by three, the Knights kept their foot on the pedal in the final period of play. Outshooting Chatham by a count of 14-5, Neumann received two more goals from Brusco and Chris Caldwell and skated away with a much needed conference win. Shots for the game finished 41-21 in favor of the Knights.
 
Neumann (5-11-1) will travel back across the state for another UCHC matchup versus Lebanon Valley tomorrow afternoon. Puck-drop is scheduled for 4:00 PM in Hershey.