PITTSFORD, NY – Hartwick secured its first victory over St. John Fisher since 2008 on Saturday with a 12-11 overtime win to open up Empire 8 Conference play for the Hawks. 'Wick squandered a three-goal lead with under two and a half minutes remaining in regulation, allowing the game-tying man-down goal from the Cardinals with 16 ticks left. Three minutes, 11 seconds into overtime, however, Wyatt Long (Hardwick, NJ/Blair Academy) bounced his shot up and over Fisher goalie Justin Townsend to seal the victory.
           
Hartwick improves to 3-2 overall with the result. The Cardinals slip to 5-2 overall.
           
Sam Ferguson (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) powered the Hawks as he registered a game-high six points and tied for a game-high with five goals. Jake Sachse (Lutherville, MD/Boys' Latin School of MD) added a pair of goals and a match-high three assists. Cordell Armstrong (Harleysville, PA/Souderton Area) contributed two goals.
           
Hartwick started the game off with a Ferguson man-up tally from Sachse after just 2:02 only to have the host score the next two for a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.
           
The Cardinals added a third early in the second but the Hawks rallied for three straight goals to jump in front at the half. Ferguson netted the first two 'Wick goals in the spurt with Sachse scoring the other. Brett Maguire (Adams Center, NY/South Jefferson) and Sachse accounted for the assists on Ferguson's tallies.
           
Fisher controlled the third quarter early as it scored four unanswered goals in under seven minutes to earn a 7-4 lead. The Hawks answered, registering three straight in a 2:03 window, to tie the score at 7-all. Nick Couvaris (Seaford, NY/Seaford) got the run started off a feed from Mike Majchrzak (Plantsville, CT/Southington). Armstrong scored the Hawks' second, and David Demand (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) tied the score from Ferguson.   
           
Fisher went up by one early in the fourth, but Sachse, Armstrong, and Ferguson all scored in a 1:29 span for Hartwick to put the Hawks in front, 10-8, with under eight minutes to play in the game. Ferguson added his fifth tally of the day at 3:24 and it appeared the Hawks would close out the victory.
           
The Cardinals had other ideas as they scored at 2:24 to pull within two. They closed the gap to one with another goal with 43 seconds left. A face-off violation resulted in a Fisher penalty with 40 ticks remaining. A Hartwick turnover gave the hosts the ball back and they converted with 16 seconds to go to force overtime.
           
The Hawks would out-shoot the Cardinals 3-0 in the extra 4-minute period before Long converted the game-winner with 49 seconds left in the period for the victory.
           
Fisher would end the game with a slim 25-24 edge in shots. Both teams finished with 28 ground balls.
           
James Vogt (Stratham, NH/Exeter) would win 18-of-25 face-offs on the day for 'Wick. He also tied for a game-high with eight ground balls. Eric Schweitzer (Babylon, NY/Babylon) contributed six ground balls and he caused a game-high five Cardinal turnovers. David Bianculli (Charlton, MA/Shepard Hill Regional) added four ground balls. Goalkeeper Connor O'Brien (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) made eight saves in the contest.
           
St. John Fisher was paced by Andrew Rosso's five goals. Nick Papayanakos added three scores for the Cardinals.
           
Hartwick next plays on Wednesday, March 29 at SUNY Oneonta beginning at 4 p.m.