SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.—Three different Bears scored and senior assistant captain Nate Skidmore (Syracuse, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) made 30 saves as the SUNY Potsdam men's hockey team (1-0) defeated Saint Michael's College (0-1) 3-1 on Friday evening. Junior forwards Nate Zweig (Binghamton, N.Y./Syracuse Stars) and Bryce Ferrell (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and freshman defenseman Ethan Clark (Seven Valleys, N.Y./N.H. Avalanche) each scored for the Bears.
 
Zweig put the Bears on the board 8:46 into the contest after stealing the puck from a Purple Knights defenseman and beating Saint Mike's goalie Chris Johnson on the backhand. Potsdam outshot the Knights 9-7 in the first 20 minutes and took the 1-0 lead into the break.
 
After alternating penalties over the first half of the second period, the Bears took advantage of their third power play of the game. Up two men, Ferrell fired from the slot off a defensemen and past Johnson for a 2-0 lead. Junior defenseman Sean Winikates (Phoenix, Ariz./Philadelphia Jr. Flyers) and sophomore forward Brett Horn (Cary, N.C./Humboldt Broncos) each assisted on the goal.
 
Despite two unsuccessful power plays midway through the third period, Saint Mike's gained momentum. At 15:36, Cameron Stewart cut Potsdam's lead in half with an even-strength marker. The Purple Knights continued to press after the goal, but would not solve Skidmore again. With just 26 seconds remaining, Clark skated the puck out of the Bears zone and fired it into an empty net to ice the win.
 
Johnson allowed just the two goals in 59:06. The shots were even at 31 apiece. The Bears were 1-for-4 on the man advantage and Saint Michael's was 0-for-4.
 
The two teams go at it again tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in Maxcy Ice Arena.