PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Neumann University men's ice hockey team kept its positive momentum rolling on Friday evening, skating past host Chatham University in a shootout to earn an extra point in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) standings after the game ended in a 5-5 tie.
 
Nick Martino was outstanding on the evening with four points (2 g, 2 a), while Barry Kneedler (1 g, 1a) and Dexton Mozell (1 g, 1 a) also had multi-point nights. Cal Ambrose got the start in goal for Neumann, making 39 saves in the contest.
 
Looking for its third consecutive win, Neumann came out strong to start the game. The Knights scored midway though the first frame via their scorching hot power-play to take an early 1-0 lead. The goal came from Brady Mistler, who found the back of the net off assists from Martino and Richie Brusco. The one goal advantage remained until intermission, with Chatham holding a 15-11 edge in shots.
 
The Neumann lead remained until midway through the second stanza, when Cougars retaliated with two goals in quick succession to stun the Knights and take a 2-1 lead at the 10:41 mark of the period. The visitors would not let the game slip away though, fighting back late in the period with a tying goal from Martino to send the game to the third tied at two apiece.
 
The final frame would be a wacky and wild, penalty filled affair. Chatham retook the lead just 1:21 into the third, but again the Knights had a quick answer as Mozell scored exactly one minute later at 2:21 of the period to tie the contest at 3-3. Things then took a turn for the worse for Neumann, as the visitors were assessed a five minute major penalty for charging. The Knights penalty kill did it's job though, killing off the entire five minute man-advantage without conceding a goal as it remained 3-3. The momentum gained from killing the long power-play wouldn't last long for Neumann though, as Chatham scored again at 12:39 to make it 4-3 in favor of the hosts. The mountain to climb became even taller two minutes later, when a second major penalty was given to the Knights. This time however, they weren't so lucky as they conceded a fifth marker with under five minutes to play to make it 5-3 with 4:19 remaining.
 
Needing a miracle down by two goals as well as being down a man on the ice, Neumann would not quit. The Knights received a short-handed goal from Martino with 2:56 remaining to bring the deficit to one and set up a furious finish. Still on the penalty kill late in the matchup, Neumann pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker. With their net empty, the team continued to fight and claw and were rewarded with a tying goal with just 55 seconds left to play. Kneeedler buried his fourth goal of the season to send the Neumann bench into delirium as the game moved to overtime.
 
Neumann dominated the extra session with a 4-0 edge in shots and almost exclusive puck possession in the five-minute period, but the Knights could not solve the Chatham goalie. With the game still tied after the overtime, the game moved to a shootout. The first two attempts for each team in the skills competition ended in failure, but the third round saw Martino find the back of the net along with his fellow third shooter from Chatham. Tied at 1-1, Dillon Manchester scored for the Knights to give the visitors the edge, then Ambrose sealed the shootout win by stopping the Cougars' fourth shooter to clinch the extra point in the conference standings for Neumann.
 
Neumann (2-4-1) will now travel to Stevenson University tomorrow hoping for a weekend sweep. Puck-drop in Maryland is scheduled for 7:00 PM.