POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's hockey team (0-1, 0-1 SUNYAC) fell 2-1 to Oswego State (1-2, 1-0) in a tightly contested game on Friday night. Junior defenseman Jack Bloem (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Connecticut Rangers) scored for the Bears and junior goaltender Connor Green (New Port Richey, Fla./Tampa Bay Juniors) was outstanding with a career-high 40 saves.
 
Potsdam opened its first game in 21 months with good energy and forced the Lakers back on their heels. At 7:47 the Bears drew first blood. Freshman defenseman Drew Rose (Brasher Falls, Utica Jr. Comets) sent the puck into the right corner from the left point. Senior forward Robert Clerc (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Oswego State) picked it up and sent it into the slot where Bloem beat Oswego junior goalie Steven Kozikoski (Liverpool, N.Y./Oswego Stampede). The play was even for much of the period, but the Lakers went on the power play in the final two minutes and peppered Green. Green was equal to the task, making five saves in the last 90 seconds of the period to preserve the lead.
 
Oswego ramped up its effort in the second period and it paid off just over halfway through. Sophomore forward Rocco Andreacchi (Bolton, Ontario/Pickering Panthers) tied the game at 11:10 with assists from sophomore forward Connor Sleeth (Markham, Ontario/Vernon Vipers) and sophomore defenseman Liam Haslam (Etobicoke, Ontario/Wilkes-Barre Knights). Just 1:45 later, sophomore defenseman Ryan Bunka (Unionville, Ontario/Kanata Lasers) scored the eventual game-winner from the left point. Freshman defenseman Ben Addison (Uxbridge, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) and Sleeth picked up the assists. The Bears traded chances with Oswego for the rest of the period, but the score was unchanged.
 
Momentum swung back and forth in the final period with both teams generating numerous changes. Kozikoski stopped all 11 shots he faced and Green made 14 saves. Potsdam had two power plays in the period and Oswego had one, but neither team could add to their total. Green was pulled with 1:07 remaining, but the game ended 2-1.
 
Kozikoski finished with 30 saves for the victory. The Lakers outshot the Bears 42-31. Oswego was 0-for-2 on the man advantage and Potsdam was 0-for-3.
 
The Bears are back in action tomorrow night when they host SUNY Cortland at 7 p.m.