ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Neumann University men's ice hockey team opened United College Hockey Conference (UCHC) play on Friday evening with a 2-2 tie on the road at Nazareth College.
 
Chris Ordoobadi and Ryan Swain were Neumann's goal-scorers on the night, while Sammy Bernard made 29 saves in goal for the Knights.
 
Looking to open conference play with a win, the Knights played their best hockey of the young season so far. The first period would be evenly played with each team tallying 12 shots apiece, but Nazareth would take a 2-1 lead into the dressing room after the opening twenty minutes. Ordoobadi was the lone Knight goal scorer in the opening period of play, registering his first goal of the season off of assists from Thomas Mansbridge and Richie Brusco.
 
After a back and forth first period, the game slowed down a bit in the second stanza. Neither team found the back of the net in the period, but the Knights carried much of the play via two power-plays. Neumann outshot the hosts 9-6 in the frame, but the game headed to the third with the Golden Flyers still leading by a goal.
 
Nazareth clamped down even more in the final 20 minutes, looking to hold off a frantic Knights team looking for an equalizing goal. The Golden Flyers were able to stymie the Neumann attack for most of the final frame, but the visitors finally found a breakthrough with under a minute to go in regulation. With just 41 seconds left in the contest, Swain leveled things up off a feed from Chris Caldwell to send the game into overtime knotted at 2-2.
 
In the first overtime session neither team could find a winner. Nazareth outshot the Knights 4-1, but solid goaltending from Bernard kept the game tied.
 
After the five minute overtime session, the game officially ended in a tie, but with new UCHC rules this season the game continued into a 3 on 3 second overtime session to determine who would receive an extra point in the conference standings. The Knights were able to capitalize on the new rule, as Joe Mitchell scored in the second extra session to give Neumann the extra point.
 
Neumann (0-2-1, 0-0-1 UCHC) will get right back to action tomorrow night when the team heads to Utica College for another UCHC contest. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM.