PITTSTON, PA (November 9, 2018) – The King's College men's ice hockey team raced out to a 4-1 lead after the first period but visiting Chatham University rallied for a 6-5 victory in overtime on Friday night at Revolution Ice Centre in Pittston.

Isaac Cirinna put the Monarchs on the board just 2:04 into the game with a beautiful one-timer off a pass from Luciano Bucci. Christian La Croix knocked in his third goal of the year a minute and a half later on the power play to give King's a 2-0 lead. The Monarchs increased their lead two minutes later on another power play goal as Tyler O'Mara found the back of the net on a delayed penalty call. The Cougars cut into the lead with just over five minutes to go in the period when Liam Gentile scored his first goal of the year on the power play. King's responded with a goal by Bucci off assists by Cirinna and Tanner Wilding to take a 4-1 lead into the first intermission.

The Cougars gave the Monarchs another power play opportunity two minutes into the second period. The Monarchs took full advantage of the extra-man with a goal 12 seconds into the power play. Michael DiSchiavi found Jamie Lukas open in front of the net for his second goal of the year. Chatham cut into the Monarch advantage with power play goals by Chris Lutz and Andrew Breda to bring the score to 5-3 with 6:40 remaining on the clock. The Monarchs called a timeout following a Cougar penalty at the 15:12 mark of the period. KC won the faceoff and got the puck on the stick of La Croix for a great look at goal. However, Chatham goalie Brian Baker came up with the big save to keep the score at 5-3 after two periods.

KC had three penalties in the first few minutes of the third period to give the Cougars a five-on-three advantage. Chad Bell scored at 3:55 to cut the deficit down to one goal with the Cougars still playing a man-up. King's was able to kill off the penalty as the teams returned to full strength. Chatham tied the score at 9:38 of the period with Michael Thamert's first goal of the season off a rebounded shot by Bell.

Both teams had chances for the go-ahead goal in the final 10 minutes of regulation, but Brandon Daigle and Brian Baker were strong in net denying every shot faced. King's found the back of the net with minutes remaining in the game on a excellent wrist shot from just inside the blue line but the goal was waved off as the net was knocked off its pegs just prior to the shot being taken. Chatham also had a potential game-winning goal waved off in the final minute on the other end of the ice.

Chatham opened the extra period with two quick shots on goal by Kirk Underwood. Daigle denied both attempts. Daniel Cangelosi gave the Cougars the comeback victory with an unassisted goal 1:28 into the period. Cangelosi scored his fifth goal of the year after corralling a wide shot off the boards and firing a shot from the left side into the back of the net.

Daigle was fantastic in goal despite the loss making 54 saves in his first collegiate start. The freshman recorded 41 of his saves in the second and third periods. La Croix, Cirinna, and Bucci each had a goal and an assist for the Monarchs while DiSchiavi had two assists.

King's was 58-44 on faceoffs while Bucci won 16 of his 22 attempts and Nicholas Gullo won 16 of 23 attempts. The Monarchs were .500 on the power play scoring three goals on six opportunities. However, 11 penalties for 22 minutes gave Chatham 10 power play opportunities of which they scored four goals.

Six different Cougars scored a goal while Kirk Underwood and Jake Reed led the team with two assists each. Bell and Christopher Lutz had a goal and an assist apiece. Baker made 13 saves in relief of Ricardo Gonzalez to pick up the win in goal. Gonzalez allowed all five Monarch goals and made seven saves in 22:17 minutes of work.

King's will look to rebound from the tough loss with a home game on Saturday afternoon against Stevenson University. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Revolution Ice between the Monarchs and Mustangs.