SUNY-Cortland delivered a stunning 5-2 victory over the University of Delaware at Gold Ice Arena on Saturday night, handing the Blue Hens just their seventh loss of the season in a dominant ECHC conference matchup. The Red Dragons, playing just their second game of the season, overwhelmed Delaware with relentless offensive pressure that resulted in 44 shots on goal.
Delaware’s Michael DePrisco continued his stellar season with a goal and an assist, extending his impressive campaign totals after entering the night with 6 goals and 7 assists in 10 games. Ryan Anatra also found the back of the net for the Blue Hens, adding to his season point total of 14 after coming into the contest with 2 goals and 12 assists in 8 games. Despite the offensive contributions from their top performers, Delaware couldn’t match Cortland’s firepower.
The story of the night was Cortland’s offensive explosion against Delaware goaltender Andrew Gatti, who faced a barrage of shots throughout the contest. Gatti made 39 saves but surrendered 5 goals on 44 shots for an .886 save percentage, as the Red Dragons capitalized on their scoring opportunities with clinical precision.
The loss drops Delaware to 10-7 on the season after 17 games, while Cortland improves to 1-1 in their abbreviated early-season schedule. For the Blue Hens, who entered as heavy favorites against the newcomers to ECHC play, the defeat serves as a wake-up call in what promises to be a competitive conference race.