A fourth-quarter surge led by Dylan Snow (3+1) helped the Hawkeyes to a 14-12 victory over the Buffaloes Monday night at The Blue Cross Arena. It was another physical match as the two teams played last Thursday.
Nicholas Miller (3+0), Zach Terry (3+1), and Snow lead the offense in scoring for the Hawkeyes. While Miller was the driving force in the first half it was Snow’s performance in the fourth quarter that allowed the Hawkeyes to prevail. Patrick Mitchell (1+3) notched four points all through the transition offense of the Hawkeyes. Goaltender John Jacobs took the net and had some good saves as well as an impressive full-field assist reminiscent of Knighthawks assistant coach Pat O’Toole.
The first quarter was slow as the Buffaloes’ Weylon Abrams (2+2) scored the lone goal in the first 10 minutes. With just under five minutes left in the frame, the Buffaloes scored another to double their lead.
ROCHESTER, New York, USA – JULY 18: Rochester Hawkeyes v Buffalo Buffaloes July 18, 2022 in Rochester, New York. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu)
The 2-0 score held up until a power-play goal with three minutes to go for the Hawkeyes when Rocco Santillo (0+2), Miller, and Terry combined as a top line for a perfect three-man pick-and-roll offense to get one back.
Before the end of the quarter, Matt Heyden (1+0) broke free in transition and tied the contest heading into the second quarter.
The Hawkeyes kept their momentum into the second frame and ripped off a three-goal run over the next five minutes with the first coming from Santillo. The next tally was the full-field assist from Jacobs to Miller, who completed his hat trick, to finish the three-goal run as he went behind his back while rushing across the crease.
Unfortunately, the Buffaloes went on a five-goal run of their own that lasted into the third quarter. The momentum faded out on offense for the Hawkeyes as they were trailing 6-5.
The Buffaloes put in a last-second shot to maintain their three-goal lead heading into the fourth, and after adding one more, the Hawkeyes responded with a six-goal run in the next six minutes and completely flipped the game on its head.
The offense was fast paced and driven through transition from the defense. Snow and Nick Cartmill (1+2) combined for the first goal. Then Snow scored back-to-back goals to complete his hat trick.
The fourth goal of the run came on the ensuing face-off when Mitchell popped it between his legs to Tanner Soudan (0+1), who made the long return pass as Mitchell made a run towards the Buffaloes goal.
The duo from Thursday’s game, Cartmill and Colt Green, combined for the next goal while Mitchell and Matthew Blythe combined for the sixth. The Buffaloes pulled within one to make it a 13-12 score with just under seven minutes remaining.
Things tightened and got physical as both teams clawed to earn a win. With four minutes to go, Terry sealed the Hawkeyes’ win as his hat trick brought the score to 14-12.