SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — In a key ECAC Hockey matchup Friday night, it was the Union College men’s hockey who emerged victorious over Yale University with a 3-1 win at Messa Rink.

In the win, Union improves to 12-15-2 and 6-10-1 in ECAC Hockey this season. Yale falls to 5-15-4 and 4-11-2 in conference play. Union moves into eighth place in ECAC Hockey standings with five games left to play in the regular season.

Union went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill and outshot Yale 38-to-16.

Eight different skaters found the scoresheet for the home team. First-year Nate Hanley led the way with a goal and an assist for a two-point night. First-year Cal Mell scored his second goal of the season on the powerplay and sophomore Josh Nixon tallied his eighth goal of season in the third period. Junior Tyler Watkins extended his point streak to six games with the primary assist on Mell’s goal.

Mell got things started for Union at 17:22 of the first period on the powerplay. First-year John Prokop sent a pass from the blueline to Watkins at the top of the left-wing circle. Watkins sent a centering pass to Mell who fired one top shelf from the bottom of right-wing circle to give Union a 1-0 lead.

After a back-and-forth second period, both teams found the scoresheet in the third. Union extended the lead to 2-0 at 2:52 of the frame. First-year Nick Young sent a cross-ice pass to sophomore Cullen Ferguson at the blueline. Ferguson ripped a shot and Hanley was in front to deflect the puck past Luke Pearson for the score. Yale clawed back within one with a goal at 11:26 of the third. William Dineen found Cole Donhauser streaking towards the net who one-timed it over senior Connor Murphy’s right shoulder for the score. Nixon scored just under two minutes later. Junior Ben Tupker forced a turnover in the offensive end of the ice and found Hanley waiting in the slot. The first-year flicked the puck over to Nixon on the doorstep who picked a corner to make it 3-1.

Murphy made 15 saves in the win to improve to 10-13-1 on the year. Pearson made 35 saves and fell to 4-5-4.

Union looks for the weekend sweep tomorrow against Brown University. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Messa Rink.