CORTLAND, N.Y. ­­– Dylan Miller scored a goal for the Lebanon Valley College men's ice hockey team in its season opener, as the program dropped an 8-1 contest to SUNY Cortland on Friday, Oct. 31, at Alumni Arena.

The Red Dragons (1-0-0) took the first shot 15 seconds into the game, and the Dutchmen (0-1-0) responded with a save by goaltender Chris Branch. Lebanon Valley quickly countered with a shot on target by Owen Ames, which was saved 48 seconds into the first period. SUNY Cortland then put five shots on goal over the next 1:40, and Branch delivered saves on each attempt. LVC's offense followed this with a shot by Artur Kondrashov, which was saved at the 3:31 mark. Back on the defensive end, Anton Petrovskiy blocked a shot at the 4:03 mark, and Branch made more stops at the 4:48 and 5:18 marks. Ames also blocked a shot by the opposition at the 5:50 mark, and Joey Pankowski had a block 7:11 into the contest. 

The Red Dragons later scored on a power-play goal by Justin Legault at the 9:53 mark and a goal by Jack Martin at the 10:26 mark, taking a 2-0 lead. Lebanon Valley kept competing defensively as the opening period progressed, as Cade Helmer blocked a shot and Branch made three saves within 20 seconds in the 15th minute. Branch also came through with saves at the 15:44, 16:31, and 16:48 marks during a stretch where each team had four skaters on the ice. 

Branch made three more saves for the Dutchmen early in the second period, posting stops 31 seconds into the frame and at the 2:27 and 3:04 marks. Later in the frame, the Red Dragons made it a 5-0 game after a goal by Garrett Krieger at the 3:04 mark, a goal by Legault at the 4:04 mark, and a goal by Thomas Rockey at the 4:49 mark. Lebanon Valley then went on a power play in the sixth minute, and Cody Walker put a shot on target that was saved 6:11 into the second. The Flying Dutchmen generated more offensive opportunities as the period went on, as Pankowski put a shot on goal that was saved at the 8:54 mark, and Ian Lindberg logged an attempt that was saved eight seconds later. Tanner Tolliver and Miller also tallied a shot on target each, which were saved within four seconds in the 11th minute.

Lukas Washco created a scoring chance for LVC as well, registering a shot on goal that was saved 11:57 into the second period. Back on the defensive end, Helmer delivered a block for Lebanon Valley at the 13:28 mark. Branch also made two saves for the Dutchmen, while Lindberg and Kondrashov each blocked a shot within 48 seconds in the 16th minute. Kondrashov then took a shot on goal for LVC, which was saved at the 16:17 mark. This was followed by Branch coming through with more stops for Lebanon Valley at the 16:31, 18:31, and 18:32 marks. SUNY Cortland later added a tally with 48 seconds left, going up 6-0 on a goal by Rockey. 

The Flying Dutchmen kept battling defensively when the third period got underway, as Branch made a save and Aidan Bright blocked a shot attempt within 29 seconds in the second minute. Lebanon Valley then went on a power play, and Kondrashov created an opportunity by putting a shot on target, which was saved at the 3:24 mark. The Red Dragons later went ahead 8-0 following a power-play goal by Sam Christiano at the 5:16 mark and a goal by JC Humphreys at the 7:58 mark. LVC countered with some scoring chances, as Troy Andrews put a shot on goal that was saved at the 8:39 mark before Pankowski and Kondrashov each had tries saved within eight seconds in the 11th minute. 

Max Kontir contributed to Lebanon Valley's offensive efforts as well, putting a shot on target that was saved at the 11:36 mark. Andrews also took a shot that was saved before Kontir registered an attempt that was saved, within four seconds in the 13th minute. The Dutchmen then got on the board 13:04 into the third period, making it an 8-1 contest. The program scored its first goal of the year when Miller sent the puck into the back of the net, courtesy of assists by Lindberg and Jordan Stear. LVC proceeded to compete until the final minute, as Branch made two more saves while John King, Jack Foote, and Stear each had a block during the remaining minutes. The block by Stear and the saves by Branch came during a successful penalty kill for LVC. 

Inside the Box Score

• Miller scored Lebanon Valley's first goal of the 2025-26 season, which marked the 10th goal of his career.
• Lindberg dished out an assist on Miller's goal.
• Stear also tallied an assist. 
• Branch made 35 saves.
• Lebanon Valley recorded 18 shots on goal.
• Kondrashov led the program with four shots on target.
• Defensively, the Flying Dutchmen had a 13-9 advantage in blocked shots.
• Helmer, Stear, and Petrovskiy each blocked two shots. 
• Kondrashov, Ames, Lindberg, Pankowski, Bright, Foote, and King each blocked a shot as well.
• LVC won 18 faceoffs during the contest.
• Tolliver led the team with seven faceoff victories. 

Up Next
The Dutchmen will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 1, at 4 p.m., when the team will take on SUNY Morrisville at the SUNY Morrisville IcePlex in Morrisville, N.Y. 

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