WILKES-BARRE – Trailing 3-1 late in the third period, the No. 11 Wilkes University men's ice hockey team scored two goals over the final three minutes to earn a 3-3 tie with visiting Cortland State in the squad's season-opener Saturday afternoon at the Toyota SportsPlex.
 
Wilkes moved to 0-0-1 overall following the opening season draw while Cortland saw its overall record move to 1-0-1 on the year.
 
Jimmy O'Kane (Chicago, IL/Notre Dame Prep) broke open a scoreless game at the 13:56 mark of the second period thanks to helpers from Nick Godfrey (Cedar Run, NJ) and Matt Carlson (Delmar, NY). Cortland responded on the power play with the tying goal three minutes later when Sutter Donegan ripped the back of the net with four minutes left in the period.
 
Cortland climbed all the way back when the visitors scored right before the second period horn sounded, again on the man-advantage, taking a 2-1 lead into the third period.
 
Cortland added what looked to be an insurance goal three minutes into the third period as the visitors kept a two-goal lead with under five minutes remaining.
 
From there the Colonels began their comeback as Carlson called his own number scoring short-handed off an assist from Phil Erickson (Eau Claire, WI) to bring Wilkes to within one at 3-2 with 4:02 on the clock. Following a face-off win in its end, Wilkes notched the game-tying goal when Kyle Mandleur (East Brunswick, NJ) scored the first of his career off an assist from Cam Lowe (Lancaster, MA) at the 18:41 mark.
 
The teams went the final minute scoreless settling for the tie.
 
Wilkes outshot Cortland 37-35 while winning 34-of-58 face-offs throughout.
 
Garrett Nieto (Yorba Linda, CA) finished with 32 saves in his first career start for the Colonels. Luca Durante made 34 saves for Cortland.
 
Wilkes is back in action tomorrow (Sunday) when the Colonels open United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) play against cross-town rival King's College at 3:30 p.m. at the Toyota SportsPlex.