Brandon Avezov Leads NYCHC to 7-5 Victory Over FSC DII

Brandon Avezov scored four goals with seven points on the night as NYCHC (5-5) defeated the Farmingdale State College Rams (11-6-1) by a final score of 7-5. Michael Cullen made twenty-six saves in his third win through four starts for NYCHC this season. Luke Richardson made thirteen stops in his eighth start of the campaign for FSC DII.

Cal Robinson put NYCHC on the board with 11:52 remaining in the first frame. Brandon Avezov made a backhanded pass to Robinson who beat Richardson stick side. Peter Abazis tied the game with 7:10 remaining in the 1st period. Kevin Manzi entered the NYCHC zone on a 2 on 1, threaded the needle on a pass to Abazis who beat a sliding Cullen short side. Kevin Manzi scored to give the Rams their only lead of the night with 3:41 left in the frame. Manzi cashed in from the backdoor on a tic tac toe play assisted by Peter Abazis and Nick D’Alessandro. Brandon Avezov fired a bottle rocket off a face off win by Weston Goodman to tie the game with 2:03 remaining in the period. Farmingdale State College went on a 5 on 3 man advantage after back-to-back penalties by Columbia in the final minute of the 1st period. With just six seconds remaining, Brandon Avezov scored a shorthanded goal for Columbia. The NYCHC Captain pounced on a loose puck in the defensive zone, turned on the jets to blow by the Rams defense, and went forehand-backhand on the breakaway.

Brendan Dixson potted a power play goal to tie the game that went off the glove of Cullen and into the back of the net with 19:35 remaining in the second stanza. Weston Goodman fired right back from the backdoor to put NYCHC back up by one with 11:14 left in the period. Collin Cross redirected a shot from the point by Joe Paratore past Cullen to tie the game with 6:31 remaining in the frame.

Weston Goodman scored the go-ahead goal with 16:55 left in the final frame. Johnny Cotton won the draw back to Brandon Avezov who made a cross ice pass to Joe Tambasco. The Columbia blue liner connected with Goodman who fired a one-timer from the slot. Brandon Avezov scored the game winning goal to complete the hat-trick on a shot from just below the left wing dot with 6:19 remaining in the period. Brendan Dixson banked one off in off the back of Cullen from beneath the goal line to make it a one score game with 3:39 left in regulation. Brandon Avezov buried a rebound that came off his own shot to seal the deal with 50 seconds remaining in regulation.

Scoring Summary:

Three Stars of the Game:

Looking Forward

The Farmingdale State College Rams will look to right the ship in a battle against the University of Central Florida Knights tonight at Northwell Health Ice Center with puck drop set for 7:00 PM.