BUFFALO, N.Y. – Jay Gallagher's (Reading, MA/) goal at 11:20 of the third period proved to be the winner as the Wilkes University men's ice hockey team defeated the host Buffalo State 2-1 to earn the championship at the Buffalo State Bengals Classic on Saturday evening. For their efforts, Donald Flynn (Randolph, NJ/) and Michael Paterson-Jones (Baldwinsville, NY/) were named to the "All-Tournament Team".
 
The Colonels improved to 2-0 on the season.
 
Nick Swain (Jackson, NJ/) got Wilkes on the board at 5:53 of the first period when he beat Buffalo State's goaltender with assists from Nick Fea (Oak Ridge, NJ/) and Fynn.
 
The Bengals tied the score with two-tenths of a second remaining in the first.
 
Neither team scored in the second as the teams remained locked at one after two periods.
 
Gallagher gave the Colonels a lead they wouldn't relinquish when he scored his first of the year assisted by Devon Schell (Scarsdale, NY/) and Ryan Galvin (Atlanta, GA/).
 
Paterson-Jones improved to 2-0, making 19 saves on 20 shots.
 
Wilkes returns to action on Friday when it travels to Manhattanville to open its slate of United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) games at 7:00 p.m.