WILKES-BARRE – Wilkes University's Matt Carlson (Delmar, NY) scored the game-winning goal :50 into overtime to lift the Colonels men's ice hockey team to a 4-3 United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) victory over visiting Alvernia University Sunday night at the Toyota SportsPlex.
 
Wilkes improved to 6-7-1 overall and 4-5 in UCHC play. Alvernia dropped to 5-6-1 overall and 4-6 in league games.
 
In a first period filled with penalties for both teams, the Colonels truck first scoring even strength when Christian Blomquist (Wauwatosa, WI) notched his first career goal off assists from Carlson and Ben Stefanini (Framingham, MA) at the 6:59 mark.
 
Alvernia tied the game early in the second period as Jason Finan found the back of the net at 4:19 for the Golden Wolves.
 
Just under two minutes later, Lorenzo Marcolin (Saratoga Springs, NY) drilled a shot past the Alvernia goalie to put Wilkes back ahead 2-1. Alvernia responded tying the game for the second time at the 6:29 mark of the frame before Stefanini got on the scoring board with a power-play tally with 9:54 left in the second giving Wilkes a 3-2 advantage.
 
One last Golden Wolves goal late in the period tied the game for the third time as the teams headed into the intermission with the game knotted at 3-3.
 
Neither team could find the game-winner in the third period sending the contest into the five minutes overtime session of three-on-three hockey. From there it was Carlson's heroics slapping home a shot down the right side past the goalie and lifting Wilkes to its fourth UCHC win of the season.
 
Carlson finished with the game-winning goal and one assist in the game. Stefanini was an offensive stud all night posting one goal and two helpers. Wilkes outshot Alvernia 63-55 while finishing 1-for-6 on the power play. The Colonels held Alvernia off the board in all five of the Golden Wolves extra man advantages.
 
Michael Paterson-Jones (Baldwinsville, NY) earned the win in net with 21 saves.
 
Wilkes will remain idle through the Christmas and New Year Holidays before returning to UCHC play Friday, January 13 when the Colonels host Arcadia University at 5:00 p.m. at the Toyota SportsPlex.