Hockey / Knights Ground the Eagles. Turn Focus to Miami.

Knights Ground the Eagles. Turn Focus to Miami.

Date:  Source: University of Central Florida Hockey

 

Written by: Mickey Gonzalez

 

 

The UCF Knights started their season off with a home game against the Embry-Riddle Eagles on Friday. UCF secured a victory in their opener, with a final score of 8-3.

 

Things originally seemed bleak for UCF as Embry-Riddle—following a shutout last week—managed to score eight seconds into the game. But Shane O’Donnell quickly turned the tides with a goal less than a minute later, with an assist from Donovan McClellan. Nearly halfway through the first period, Tyler Walkinshaw pulled UCF into the lead with another goal, and the Knights never looked back. They scored twice more in that period, including a Power Play goal by Drew Bengtson, assisted by Walkinshaw and Brandon Blaszczyk, and a goal by Rodney LaLonde, assisted by Tyler Avron.

 

Both teams went into the second period desperate to turn or keep the odds in their favor. There was a total of four power plays in the period—three for Embry-Riddle, two for UCF—and 28 seconds of four-on-four play, but no goals during those times. Embry-Riddle scored once again, followed by another UCF goal from Liam McGrath, assisted by O’Donnell and Chris Zalik. Embry-Riddle snuck a third goal in with four seconds left in the period, but it wasn’t enough to top the Knights’ 5-3 lead.

 

UCF went into the third period ready to finish with a win and start the season off with victory. Their determination definitely paid off, as the Knights scored the only three goals in the period. Bengtson got his second goal of the game, assisted by Andrew Schneider. The other two goals occurred within the last five minutes of the game: one from Blaszczyk, assisted by Zalik and Bengtson, the other from Zalik, assisted by O’Donnell and Donovan McClellan. Two and a half minutes after the last goal, the final buzzer sounded, securing UCF’s victory.

 

Starting the season with a win founds a good starting point for the Knights to build off of in the games to come.


Make sure to come on out and support your Knights this Friday, September 28, and Saturday, September 29, for a weekend series against Miami! Both games are at the RDV Sportsplex Ice Den and start at 10:00pm! Tickets are $5 and can be bought at the door. Students get FREE ADMISSION with a UCF ID.