POTSDAM, N.Y.—Buffalo State (4-2, 2-1 SUNYAC) scored three third period goals to pull away from the SUNY Potsdam men's hockey team (1-6, 0-5) for a 5-1 win on Friday night. Sophomore defenseman
Drew Rose (Brasher, N.Y./Utica Jr. Comets) scored for the Bears.
The first period was played at a quick pace from the first faceoff. Each team set itself up for strong scoring opportunities. The Bengals missed two empty nets after near perfect passing plays. The Bears tested Buffalo State junior goalie Emil Norrman (Kungsbacka, Sweden/Dell Ducks) 10 times, including some in close. Norrman was sharp throughout the opening 20 minutes and the contest headed into the break scoreless.
The Bears started the second period with good energy and took the lead nearly halfway through. At 9:43, Rose scored on a shot through a crowd with assists from senior captain
Nick Alfieri (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and graduate student forward
Robert Clerc (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Oswego State). The Bengals answered just over three minutes later. Senior forward A.J. Marinelli (Amherst, N.Y./Lockport Eagles) tied the game with a power-play goal at 12:57. At 17:32, senior forward Joel Frazee (Monroe, Mich./Wyandotte Roosevelt) tipped a shot from the point past senior goalie
Stephen Friedland (West Bloomfield, Mich./East Coast Wizards) to give Buffalo State the lead for good. The Bengals led 2-1 after 40 minutes.
Potsdam got off to a rough start in the third period. Junior forward Nikita Kozyrev (Tallinn, Estonia/Springfield Jr. Blues) extended the lead to 3-1 46 seconds into the final stanza. Just 46 seconds after that, Marinelli poked a loose puck home for his second of the contest. At 7:17, Kozyrev buried his second of the game to close the scoring at 5-1.
Friedland had seven saves and four goals allowed in the first 41:32. Bears senior
Connor Green (New Port Richey, Fla./Tampa Bay Juniors) made 14 saves and allowed a goal in the final 18:28. Norrman finished with an impressive 38 stops.
The Bears were 0-for-3 on the man advantage and Buffalo State was 1-for-4.
Potsdam hosts Fredonia tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
