SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – In the first home game of 2022, the Union College men's hockey team defeated Brown University, 3-1, Friday night in ECAC Hockey action at Messa Rink.

Special teams played a critical role for both teams as three of the four total goals scored happened on the power play. Union went 2-for-6 on the power play while Brown was 1-for-2 on the player advantage.

Nine different skaters found the scoresheet for Union. Senior Josh Kosack, first-year Collin Graf and sophomore Ville Immonen scored the goals for Union (7-11-3, 5-6-1 ECAC Hockey), while six players recorded one assist each for the Dutchmen.

After over 18 minutes of scoreless play in the opening frame, Graf found the back of the net on the power-play at 18:33. Junior Gabriel Seger gained possession of the puck on the red line, chipping a pass to the top of the circle to classmate Dylan Anhorn. The assistant captain found Graf in the bottom of the opposite circle, and the first-year sent the puck top shelf to give the Dutchmen a 1-0 lead.

Union added a second power-play goal only 1:06 in the second stanza to take a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Chaz Smedsrud sent a cross-ice pass in the offensive zone to classmate Tyler Watkins, who was waiting in the right-wing circle. Watkins found Kosack alone in the slot, and the senior tipped the puck home for his fourth goal of the season.

Brown cut in to the lead 5:26 later with a power-play goal off the stick of James Crossman. Both teams traded chances, but Union held on to a 2-1 lead going into the final frame.

Trailing 2-1 going into the final minutes of play, Brown pulled their goaltender with 2:20 left in the third period. At 18:47, Immonen fired a shot from the point for the empty net goal to seal the victory for the Dutchmen, with assists credited to classmate Liam Robertson and senior Brandon Estes.

Junior Connor Murphy stopped 21 saves in the victory, improving to 7-10-2 on the season. Mathieu Caron made 26 stops and fell to 2-7-0 for Brown.

The Dutchmen are back in action tomorrow as they host Yale University. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Messa Rink.