BUFFALO, N.Y. – Nikita Smirnov scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season to snap a 3-all tie and propel the Bryn Athyn College ice hockey team to a 5-3 victory over Buffalo State in the backend of their weekend series in the Ice Arena Sunday afternoon.

Smrinov recorded the goal at the 9:51 mark of the third period, 23 seconds into the Lions' fifth and final power play of the night. Mike Perkett assisted on Smirnov's second power play of 2019-20. Smirnov now has a point in three straight games.

Tanner Schoeder tacked on an empty-net goal with 31 seconds remaining to secure Bryn Athyn's eighth win of the season (8-7-3), surpassing last season's win total.

Ismael Ralsten made a career-high 36 saves to record his third victory in five starts (3-2-0). He stopped all 16 shots in faced in the final period.

The teams traded goals in the opening 20 minutes of play to go into the intermission level at one. Cameron Shorrock found the back of the net for the second straight game, 16:51 into the period, to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. The unassisted tally had assists from Dakota Ulmer and Devon Becker. Buffalo State's A.J. Marinelli answered back 1:35 later to even the score.

In the second stanza, Bryn Athyn erased a pair of one-goal Buffalo State (7-7-1) leads to head to the third tied at three. Schoeder scored the first of his two goals at the 10:51 to erase an Anthony Tulipane goal that was scored over seven minutes earlier. After Ben Butcher scored on the man-advantage at 16:56 to put the Bengals ahead 3-2, Tanner Congdon netted his fourth goal of the year, assisted by Alex Tan and Sheldon Brett, with 1:57 left in the period to knot the score.

Connor Minch made 27 saves for Buffalo State.

Bryn Athyn faces Anna Maria on Saturday, Jan. 25 in Massachusetts at 5:40 p.m.