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Postgame Interview

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- The State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo tallied four 1st-period goals on the way to an 8-3 decision against the University of New England in the semifinals of the 2022 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship at famed Herb Brooks Arena on Friday night (Mar. 25).

The Knights (24-3-1) move into Saturday's national title match and will square off with top-ranked Adrian College, which dispatched of Augsburg University by a 5-1 margin earlier in the day. The winner will have its first championship victory; it is Geneseo's first time reaching the final and the second for the Bulldogs, both in four tries. [Interactive Bracket]

For the Nor'easters (23-4-1), the 13-game win streak and 23-victory season, both program records, came to an end with the outcome. UNE advanced further than it ever had before in its third NCAA tournament run; the first national semifinalist in University history.

Senior captain Dan Bosio started the scoring for SUNY Geneseo just over five minutes into the contest, but the Nor'easters were back level less than six minutes later (10:49) on the 14th goal of the season by graduate student Daniel Winslow. Senior captain Liam Darcy began the equalizing play deep in the UNE end, leaving it for senior Justin Dixson, who bolted up the left boards across the blue line and ushered a pass through the crease for Winslow to tip home crashing the right post.

The tie didn't last long, though, as Bosio took advantage of a power play chance at the 12:14 mark. Just 47 seconds later, with yet another extra-skater opportunity, senior defenseman Chris Perna found the back of the cage for a 3-1 cushion. Before the end of the frame, rookie Peter Morgan got on the scoresheet, making it 4-1. The Knights' three goal scorers in the opening period were all named American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-America selections on Thursday.

On the other side, the Nor'easters had successfully killed off their previous 18 penalties entering Friday, spanning seven games.

While Peter Morgan padded the lead (5-1) 1:20 into the 2nd stanza, UNE answered (5-2) on the man-advantage prior to the midway mark of the period. Junior Jared Christy finished a slick feed from senior captain Austin Morgan, after a pass from junior Jake Fuss. Christy concluded the year with a team-best 17 goals. Morgan's helper was career number 50.

The Nor'easters couldn't cash in on their next power play try, but maintained the push and appeared to draw even closer with 5:19 remaining. However, upon video review, the play was ruled fractionally offsides and the goal was disallowed. The three-goal spread stood at the 2nd intermission, and the back-breaker might have been the next one, as Geneseo then struck 10 seconds into the 3rd on a goal by Tyson Gilmour.

UNE managed to get it back within three (6-3) with 6:46 left on the clock, as first-year Anthony Sciucco deposited a backhand in front after a good move on the doorstep for his second of the year. Fuss delivered the assist from the opposite wall, right to Sciucco's waiting stick; senior Jamey Zanca also helped the play. But another power play tally by the Knights, 43 seconds later from Matthew Doran, extended the gap. Alex Wilkins added one more for SUNY Geneseo.

Fuss' two assists marked 28 on the season, which shares the fourth-highest total in a campaign at UNE.

Matt Petizian turned away 21 shots to backstop the result for the Knights, who received 15 face-off wins out of Gilmour, which was part of a 41-23 margin at the dots.

For the Nor'easters, sophomore Billy Girard IV made 18 saves between the pipes. Girard had long since established the program season standard for goaltending victories (was 16, now 21), and he already stands second for career wins (23) after just more than one year.

Among those capping their UNE careers were graduate students Chris Jones and Tyler Seltenreich. Jones, one of this year's captains, produced 20 goals and 49 assists from his position on the blue line. Seltenreich leaves the program ranked third with 54 scores, and fourth in points at 101.