Plattsburgh State: Full Steam Ahead
Plattsburgh State didn’t waste any time establishing itself as the team to beat in the SUNYAC, breezing through the opening weekend of conference play, 6-0 over Fredonia State and 12-3 over Buffalo State. Oswego State kept pace, winning both its games as well, 5-1 over Brockport State and 7-3 over Oswego State. Potsdam State was the only other team not to lose, tying Fredonia State 3-3 after defeating Buffalo State 3-1. Cortland State won a key early game, beating Brockport State, 4-1.
Last Week's Results
11/03/00 Oswego - 5, Brockport - 1
11/03/00 Geneseo - 6, Cortland - 4
11/03/00 Plattsburgh - 6, Fredonia - 0
11/03/00 Potsdam - 3, Buffalo State - 1
11/04/00 Cortland - 4, Brockport - 1
11/04/00 Oswego - 7, Geneseo - 3
11/04/00 Potsdam - 3, Fredonia - 3 (OT)
11/04/00 Plattsburgh - 12, Buffalo State - 3
Games This Week
11/07/00 Hobart at Buffalo State NC 7:00 ET
11/03/00 Potsdam at Brockport SU 7:00 ET
11/03/00 Plattsburgh at Geneseo SU 7:00 ET
11/03/00 Buffalo State at Cortland SU 7:00 ET
11/03/00 Fredonia at Oswego SU 7:00 ET
11/04/00 Plattsburgh at Brockport SU 7:00 ET
11/04/00 Potsdam at Geneseo SU 7:00 ET
11/04/00 Buffalo State at Oswego SU 7:00 ET
11/04/00 Fredonia at Cortland SU 7:00 ET
Team-by-Team Report
PLATTSBURGH — The Cardinals barely broke a sweat in their opening weekend of conference play. The first victim was Fredonia State which Plattsburgh State easily handled, 6-0. The shutout went to Niklas Sundberg, who made 23 saves. Plattsburgh didn’t score until past the halfway mark of the game, but by the time the night was over, six different Cardinals had produced a goal: Peter Ollari, Mark Coletta, Brendon Hodge, Jason Kilcan, Joe Dolci, and Eric Weidenbach. The next night, Plattsburgh jumped out to a 4-0 first-period lead en route to a 12-3 shellacking of Buffalo State. Tyler Keenan, Ollari, and Kilcan led the team with a pair of goals each. Brian Toussaint notched four assists. Plattsburgh went 4-for-5 on the power play as well as scoring a shorthanded goal. The Cardinals look to continue their momentum when they travel to Geneseo and Brockport.
OSWEGO — The Great Lakers had a relatively easy time against Brockport State. They scored a pair of first-period goals by Joe Carrabs and John Sullivan, a pair of second-period goals both by Mike Lukajic, and a third-period goal by Derek Kern before Brockport even got on the scoreboard. Oswego State’s 5-1 victory was helped by Joe Lofberg’s 26 saves. The next night Oswego started slow falling behind 1-0 and 3-1 at Geneseo State before scoring six unanswered goals for a 7-3 victory. Lukajic ended up with a hat trick this time, Steve Cavallaro got a goal and three assists, and Lofberg registered 21 saves. Oswego hosts Fredonia and Buffalo State this weekend.
POTSDAM — The Bears took a little while to get rolling in Buffalo State, but Potsdam State finally did to defeat the Bengals, 3-1. After letting up the first goal, Mike Snow tied it early in the second period on a power play. Snow scored the gamewinner midway through the third period, and Chris Hesse clinched the game just 16 seconds later. Potsdam then let a victory slip away at Fredonia State as 2-0 and 3-1 leads turned into a 3-3 overtime tie. The leads were built on a pair of first-period goals by Mike McCabe and a third period goal by Hesse. Ryan Venturelli, who got the win against Buffalo State in relief of Todd Manley, played the entire Fredonia game, making 26 saves. The Bears travel to the Rochester area to take on Brockport and Geneseo.
CORTLAND — Cortland State made its first statement of the season by splitting its first two conference games. In the opener, the Red Dragons lost to Geneseo State, 6-4. After falling behind 2-0, Jeff Olsen and Greg Menchen tied it up, but once again Cortland found itself down by two when Dave Ambuhl scored. Menchen scored again to cut the lead back to one, but the Red Dragons could not get the equalizer. The next night Scott Louis scored the game-winner shorthanded to defeat Brockport, 4-1, as Olsen, Matt Donskov, and Mike Schall also scored. John Larnerd made 29 saves for the win. Cortland looks to make another statement in hosting Buffalo State and Fredonia.
GENESEO — The Ice Knights started out well with a 6-4 win over Cortland. Jason Gurnett and Aaron Coleman gave Geneseo a 2-0 lead, and after Cortland tied it up, Matt Lester and Tony Scorsone moved the lead back out to two. Peter Boudette and Lester kept Cortland at bay. Jeff Phelps got 23 saves. Geneseo looked to make it two-for-two when it jumped out to a 3-1 lead over Oswego on goals by David Bagley, Jon Schnepf, and Jack Staley. However, the Ice Knights ran out of steam as Oswego rolled on for the next six goals, winning 7-3. Geneseo looks to rebound hosting some tough competition — Plattsburgh and Potsdam.
FREDONIA — Friday night was a game Fredonia State would like to forget. Despite holding Plattsburgh State off the scoreboard for over half the game, Fredonia wasn’t able to muster any goals of its own, dropping the decision, 6-0, while being outshot 47-23. Despite ending on a high note, things didn’t get any better against Potsdam State. Down 2-0 and 3-1, Fredonia scored three goals in the final 26 minutes of the game to force overtime. Jason Furness, Tom Cloherty, and Dave Mugavero scored the goals. Despite outshooting Potsdam 2-0 in the extra period, the game ended as a 3-3 tie. Jamie Kosecki got 30 saves. Fredonia next travels to Oswego and Cortland.
BROCKPORT — The Golden Eagles lost both their games this past weekend. They were never in the contest against Oswego State as Brandon Marineau scored the lone Brockport State goal in the last minute of the game after Oswego already had a 5-0 lead. Tom Payment made 31 saves in the losing effort. Christian Christensen scored against Cortland State to tie it at one in the second period, but once again that was the only goal the Golden Eagles could muster, losing to the Red Dragons, 4-1. Payment was again in net making 35 saves. It doesn’t get any easier for Brockport as the host Potsdam and Plattsburgh this weekend.
BUFFALO STATE — Buffalo State opened conference play in a tough game against Potsdam State. The Bengals scored on a shorthander by Mark Yoder to take the early lead. Potsdam tied it in the second period, and then scored twice within 16 seconds to deflate Buffalo State. Harley Pottratz made 30 saves in the 3-1 loss. The next night Buffalo State was outclassed by Plattsburgh State, 12-3. Rocky Reeves, Stephen Troup, and Sean Mask scored when the game was already out of hand. The Bengals play three times this week hosting Hobart then traveling to Cortland and Oswego.
Game of the Week
If Cortland is going to make a leap forward in the SUNYAC this year, one of the teams it must beat is Fredonia, and Cortland will have that opportunity Saturday. Fredonia must be aware of that fact, meaning that this will be a game that could have ramifications by the end of the season.
