WILKES-BARRE – Trailing 2-0 mid-way through the first period, the Wilkes University men's ice hockey team notched three unanswered goals including the game-winner 3:44 into the third period as the Colonels posted the season sweep over Nazareth with a 3-2 United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) victory Sunday at the Toyota SportsPlex.
 
Wilkes improved to 15-6 overall and 13-3 in UCHC play with four games remaining in the regular season. Nazareth dropped to 4-15-2 overall and 3-11-2 in conference contests.
 
Nazareth came out of the gates blazing taking a 1-0 lead 9:38 into the first period when Liam Quinlivan scored off assists from Harrison Dumas and Shen Kai. Four minutes later the Golden Flyers took a 2-0 lead when Owen Heidelberger scored on the power-play.
 
The Colonels cut the lead in half with just under four minutes left in the first thanks to Leyton Pettypiece (Rochester, MI) scoring on even strength with helpers from Max Cocchi (Ludlow, MA/) and Joe Johnson (Midland, MI/).
 
Nick Swain (Jackson, NJ) tied the game at 2-2 with his team-high 16^th goal of the season with assists from Lowe and Nate Terski (North Grafton, MA).
 
Luke Dobles (Spencerport, NY/) then made the comeback complete when his wrister from the right side of the circle found the back of the net with assists going to Cocchi and Johnson to give the Colonels their first and only lead of the contest early in the third period.
 
From there the defense stood strong holding onto the lead despite a furious Nazareth attack late as the visitors tried to find the equalizer with no success.
 
Wilkes held a  36-32 shot advantage throughout with each team collecting 40 face-off wins. Billy Berry (Redding, CT) and Matt Carlson (Delmar, NY/) combined for 26 of those wins in the circle.
 
Jack Perna (Sykesville, MD) collected his team-high ninth win in net for Wilkes finishing with 30 saves. Lincoln Crosby made 32 stops for Nazareth in the losing effort.
 
Wilkes continues UCHC play Friday with a pivotal matchup at Stevenson University starting at 7:00 p.m. The Colonels currently own the third spot in the conference standings with 37 points while the Mustangs sit in second place with 44 points. The two teams finish the season series Saturday with puck drop set for 3:00 p.m.