POTSDAM, N.Y.—They SUNY Potsdam men's hockey team (2-7) built a 2-0 lead, but Stonehill College (8-1-1) rallied for a 4-3 win on the first day of the North Country Tournament. Senior defenseman Connor Cruickshank (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Admirals) and freshman forward Ryan Mahlmeister (Massapequa, N.Y./PAL Junior Islanders) scored for the Bears and freshman forward Jeremy Quesnel (Alexandria, Ontario/Hawkesbury Hawks) notched his first collegiate goal.
 
Cruickshank opened the scoring at 6:18 of the first period, deflecting a pass from sophomore defenseman Nolan Towne (Stockholm, N.Y./Seahawks Hockey Club) into the roof of the net. Graduate student forward Michael McArthur (St. Thomas, Ontario/Oswego State) picked up the second assist. With 15 seconds left in the period, Quesnel struck with assists from McArthur and senior defenseman Ryan Lieth (Warwick, N.Y./New York Apple Core). The Bears outshot the Skyhawks 16-12 in the first and led 2-0 at the intermission.
 
Freshman forward Carter Rapalje (Colorado Springs, Colo./North Iowa Bulls) got Stonehill on the board at 9:37 of the second period. With 1:46 left, junior forward Ryan King (East Greenwich, R.I./Seahawks Hockey Club) scored and the teams were tied after 40 minutes.
 
Special teams made the difference in the third period as three power-play goals were scored. Senior forward Brendan Nehmer (East Longmeadow, Mass/Williston Northampton School) put the Skyhawks up for good with a power-play marker at 10:28. Just 1:39 later, Rapalje buried his second on the man advantage to make it 4-2. Potsdam closed the gap at 16:06. Mahlmeister scored a power-play goal on McArthur's third assist of the night and Lieth's second. The Bears pulled senior goalie Connor Green (New Port Richey, Fla./Tampa Bay Juniors) twice in the final minutes, but couldn't get the equalizer.
 
Green finished with 39 saves and senior goalie John Day (North Reading, Mass./Buckingham Browne & Nichols School) stopped 37 shots for the win. Stonehill was 2-for-5 on the power play and Potsdam was 1-for-6.
 
The Bears host Hamilton College in tomorrow's finale at 5 p.m. The Continentals defeated SUNY Canton 3-2 in the tournament's opener this afternoon.