ROCHESTER, NY (February 22, 2020) -- Sophomore goalkeeper Brandon Daigle made a career-high 59 saves Saturday afternoon, catapulting the King's College men's ice hockey team to a season-ending victory over Nazareth College in United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) action. The Monarchs finish the season 3-21-1, posting two wins in UCHC play. 

The Golden Flyers (11-11-3, 8-9-1 UCHC) posted the first goal of the game on Saturday, as Ray Falso scored his ninth goal of the year with help from Zander Pryor and Brian Miller. The Monarchs would play well in the first period though, outshooting Nazareth but not being able to beat Michael Tilford in the opening stanza.

After killing off a pair of minors in the opening period, King's would deadlock the contest at 12:12 of the middle period as junior Tommy Green scored his second of the year, getting set up by freshmen Nick Richards and Rob Sheehan. The play was made possible by a fantastic tip into the zone by Richards, who led Green to the left circle as his shot beat Tilford glove side high for the equalizer. Things would stay deadlocked at one thanks to the play from Daigle, who made 24 stops in the second 20 minutes. 

In the third period, Daigle continued to shine which set up the eventual game-winner for the Monarchs, as junior Alex Bastone scored the biggest goal of his King's career and his first of the season thanks the seventh assist of the season by freshman Josh Edwards, which tied for the third most on the squad this year. 

On the play, Edwards picked the puck in his own defensive zone and carried it wide on the right half wall before slithering by the left defender. As he approached the goal line extended, Edwards fired a centering pass for Bastone, who drove to the net and tipped the pass past Tilford for the game-winner. Over the final 20 minutes, King's once again relied on the play from Daigle, who made 24 saves in the third. 

During the last 2:02, Nazareth pulled the goalkeeper to go 6-on-5, and during that time alone Daigle denied the Golden Flyers on three shots including two from the low slot area. Daigle was adided by a pair of shot blocks, and junior Tyler O'Mara won a big face-off late in the game to help clinch the win. 

King's was outshot on the game 60-31, while each team was 0-for-2 on the power play. Junior Tanner Wilding led the team with two blocked shots, while Bastone, Green and sophomore Michael DiSchiavi each finished with five shots on goal to pace the squad. Defenseman Keaton Caplis also had a strong game, as he was on the ice for both of King's goals. 

The Monarchs more than doubled their win total from a year ago and the two UCHC victories this season was a program record as well. The victory was also the first win over Nazareth College in program history.