COLMAR, Pa. ­­– Senior Joe Anton scored his first career goal for the Lebanon Valley College men's ice hockey team, as the program dropped a close 4-3 game to Arcadia University on Saturday, Nov. 18, at Hatfield Ice Arena. 

Lebanon Valley (3-6-0, 2-2-0 UCHC, 1-1-0 MAC) scored three goals against Arcadia (2-5-2, 1-4-2, 1-1-0 MAC) for the second straight night, as the teams split the weekend set. Both programs were aggressive offensively during the first period, as each squad netted a pair of shots. The Knights then scored a goal in both the second and third frames, but the Dutchmen responded to trim their deficit to one. Arcadia then went on to maintain its lead through the end of the game.  

The Knights opened the scoring 58 seconds into the game, taking a 1-0 lead on a goal by Connor Williams. The teams then went back and forth on the defensive end, as the score was maintained for over 14 minutes. Lebanon Valley got on the board 15:12 into the first period, tying the contest at 1-1. Junior Harris Blackwood got LVC going offensively on a power play goal, following assists by sophomore Tanner Tolliver and senior Darion Benchich. 

Arcadia responded 2:54 later in the opening period, taking a 2-1 advantage on a power play goal by Aaron Hamel. The Dutchmen answered right back, evening the score at 2-2 with just under 20 seconds to go in the first. Anton tied things up by sending a short-handed goal past the goaltender. The teams entered the first intermission in a stalemate. 

Both programs delivered strong defensive efforts through most of the second period, as the game remained tied until there were less than three minutes remaining in the frame. Lebanon Valley was aggressive offensively in the second, taking 15 shots on goal. Sophomore Brenden Yingling took four shots on goal for the squad during this stretch, while junior Haralds Jirgens recorded three shots. Defensively, sophomore goaltender Chris Branch made seven saves within the first 16-plus minutes of the period. The Knights then resumed the scoring with 2:24 remaining in the second, taking a 3-2 lead on a power play goal by Mike Kocsis. 

Arcadia added another point 5:12 into the third period, making it a 4-2 contest on a goal by Dylan Florit. Lebanon Valley continued to generate offensive opportunities in the final frame, taking 21 shots on goal during the last 20 minutes of play. The Dutchmen responded 8:32 into the period, trimming their deficit to 4-3. Senior Blake Tosto came through with a clutch power play goal to make it a one-point contest, courtesy of an assist by junior Jordan Stear. The team created more scoring chances as the frame went on, including a 29-second stretch in the 18^th minute where Tosto and Blackwood took two shots each. The programs continued to battle until the clock expired, but neither team scored during the final minutes. 

Inside the Box Score

• Six players recorded points for Lebanon Valley.
• Blackwood scored his third goal of the season. 
• Tolliver and Benchich were credited with assists on Blackwood's goal. 
• Anton's short-handed goal marked his first point of the season. 
• Tosto recorded his fifth goal of the year, including his second in as many games. 
• LVC took a total of 44 shots on goal. 
• Jirgens led the team with six shots on goal. 
• The Dutchmen blocked a total of nine shots. 
• Senior Mac Diver led the program with three blocked shots.

Up Next 
The Dutchmen will return to action at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, as the program will travel to take on Neumann University at Ice Works Rink #3 in Aston, Pa.  

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