Devils red hot on Pink The Rink night

Stephen Castriota (Bellport, N.Y.) and Blake Forslund (Owen Sound, Ont.) had two goals each as Fredonia State celebrated 2014 Pink The Rink with a 5-2 win Saturday over the Morrisville State Mustangs.

Alex Perkins (St. Albert, Alberta) also scored for the Blue Devils and goaltender Jeff Flagler (Owen Sound, Ont.) made 35 saves as the Blue Devils improved to 7-9-4 overall and 4-4-3 in the SUNYAC. 

Daniel Morello had a goal and an assist and John Doyle had one goal for the Mustangs, who fell to 5-13-2 overall and 2-9-1 in the conference.

The game featured the Blue Devils in pink jerseys and socks, as well as the four on-ice officials in pink and black striped shirts, as part of the team's annual Pink The Rink celebration. All the players' jerseys and the four officials' shirts were sold with proceeds benefiting American Cancer Society breast cancer research.

Morrello staked the Mustangs to a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal at 7:09 of the first period when he deflected a shot from the point. The Blue Devils pulled even on Forslund's first goal at 17:46 when he deflected a shot from the point. Castriota and Ryan Wilkinson (Calgary, Alberta) earned assists.

Morrisville State scored the only goal of the second period, a tally by Doyle, 41 seconds into the period on a power-play.

The Blue Devils began their scoring outburst right off the opening faceoff to start the third period. The Mustangs won the draw and attempted a high pass, which Perkins caught and dropped to the ice. He stick-handled between two defensemen and scored an unassisted goal with a shot from the high slot just 10 seconds into the period. It was his fifth goal of the season.

Castriota broke a 2-2 tie with a wrap-around back-hander following a battle for the puck behind the net. Matt Owczarczak (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Travis Fernley (Calgary, Alberta) picked up assists. He added to the lead with a shot through a screen, his ninth goal of the year, assisted by Owczarzak and Hunter Long (Lebanon, Tenn.).

The capacity crowd of 1,014 had just finished celebrating when the Blue Devils scored again. Following a Morrisville State turnover, Long fed Forslund who one-timed a hard, high shot from the top of the right faceoff circle. It was his fourth goal of the season.