ASTON, PA – The Wilkes University men's ice hockey team raced out to a 4-0 lead midway through the second period and held on despite host Neumann University scoring the next three goals as the Colonels posted a 4-3 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) victory Friday night.
 
Wilkes improved to 10-5 overall and 10-1 in MAC games following the road win. Neumann fell to 8-5-2 overall and 5-4-2 in league contests.
 
Wilkes started fast and furious as Nate Terski (North Grafton, MA) wasted little time giving the Colonels a 1-0 lead 2:45 into the first period thanks to assists from Lorenzo Marcolin (Saratoga Springs, NY) and Leyton Pettypiece (Rochester, MI). Six minutes later Christian Blomquist (Wauwatosa, WI) and Cam Lowe (Lancaster, MA) found Carter Jordan (Fort Collins, CO) for a one-timer to make it 2-0 after one period of play.
 
Matt Carlson (Delmar, NY) made it 3-0 early in the second period as he scored off a helper from Nick Del Gaizo (Basking Ridge, NJ). Nick Swain (Jackson, NJ) then scored on the power-play to extend the lead to 4-0 at 8:32 with assists from Cole Jungwirth (Bloomington, MN) and Lowe.
 
Neumann added its first goal of the contest on the power-play late in the second period before starting its comeback attempt in the third. Another Neumann goal at 3:48 of the third made it 4-2 Wilkes before the Knights cut the advantage to one with their second extra-man strike at 7:50 of the third. From there Wilkes was able to anchor down defensively and hold on to the road conference victory.
 
Neumann outshot Wilkes 32-23 in the game while winning 42-of-75 faceoffs. Jack Perna (Sykesville, MD) recorded the win in net for Wilkes making 29 saves. Cole DeFazio finished with 19 stops in a losing effort for Neumann.
 
The two teams are back in action tomorrow (Saturday) at 4:00 p.m. in the second of the three-game season series.