CANTON, N.Y. – One night after putting up four goals in the first game in program history, the Wilkes University men's ice hockey team earned its first win with a 7-5 win over SUNY Canton in non-conference action on Saturday evening.

The Colonels improved to 1-1 on the young season. "I am so proud of our team and the effort they put forward tonight against a strong SUNY Canton team," head coach Brett Riley said after the win. "This was a total team effort on the road through adverse conditions."

Canton got on the board just 17 seconds into the game, but Nick Fea (Oak Ridge, NJ/) responded less than a minute later with assists from Jay Gallagher (Reading, MA/) and Dylan Kuipers (Andover, NJ/) to tie the score at one.

Wade Novak (Oak Ridge, NJ/) put Wilkes ahead with a shorthanded tally at 19:21 in the first with an assist from Phil Erickson (Eau Claire, WI/) as the Colonels entered the first intermission up 2-1.

Donald Flynn (Randolph, NJ/) wasted no time pushing the lead to two when Kuipers assisted his goal just 14 seconds into the second period before Taylor Bommarito (Sterling Heights, MI/) joined the scoring party 44 seconds later with an assist from Fea as Wilkes went up 4-1.

The Roos cut the lead to 4-2 at 1:42 but Canton was assessed a tripping penalty at 5:01 and the Colonels took advantage when Tyler Barrow (Massapequa, NY/) notched the tally with helpers from Bommarito and Flynn to get the lead back to three at 5-2 with 14:28 left in the second period.

The Roos were able to cut the deficit with an even-strength goal at 11:24 and a powerplay tally at 18:11 but the Colonels maintained the lead as the second period came to an end.

Novak notched his second goal on a shorthanded breakaway, racing up the right side of the ice and shooting far side over the goalie's blocker for a 6-4 lead at 1:57 with another assist from Erickson.

Canton again shaved the deficit to one with a powerplay goal at 7:19, but Wilkes put the game away with 34 seconds remaining when Barrow punched home a rebound on a two-man advantage with an assist from Fea as the horn sounded ending the game and sending the Colonels over the boards to celebrate the historic victory.

Brandon Gordon (Sault Ste. Marie, MI/) stopped 26 shots in the crease to improve to 1-1.

Novak finished with four points on two goals and two assists. Barrow and Fea added three points while Flynn and Bommarito contributed two. 11 Colonels earned a point, and Michael Gurska (Revere, MA/) finished +4 on the night.

"This victory is dedicated to everyone who helped make men's ice hockey at Wilkes University a reality," Riley continued. "All of the credit goes to the players for laying it all on the line for 60 minutes and for the commitment they have made to helping build this program."

Wilkes returns to the ice next Saturday when it travels to Elmira College, who is currently receiving votes in the NCAA Division III rankings, for a 7:00 p.m. United Collegiate Hockey Conference game, the first such game for the Colonels.