The SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey team (1-6) scored a season-high five goals to down SUNY Canton (1-6-1) 5-3 for its first win since returning to Maxcy Ice Arena this season. Freshman forward Vinny Caligiuri (Shoreham, N.Y./Hartford Wolfpack) led the Bears with a goal and an assist for his first collegiate points. Senior defenseman Cory Giczewski (Fountain Valley, Calif./Laconia Leafs) paced the Roos with two goals.
Canton struck on its very first shot of the game. Junior forward Lee Melde (Proctor, Minn./Williston State) wristed a shot over the right shoulder of Potsdam senior goalie Shane Talarico(Greensburg, Pa./Elmira College) for a 1-0 lead at 2:46. Freshman forward Nick Vasilopolous (Montreal, Quebec/Brooks) assisted on the tally. The Bears responded with good pressure, but didn’t break through until their first power play opportunity 10 minutes later. Junior forward Trevor Cope (Swartz Creek, Mich./Atlanta Jr. Knights) scored with a tough angle shot from the left side of the net. Sophomore forward Todd Thomas (Davidsville, Pa./Hartford Wolfpack) and junior defenseman Max Fogel (Williamsville, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) recorded the assists. Potsdam jumped in front with a second power-play goal at 16:39. Sophomore forwardBilly Pascalli (Deer Park, N.Y./New York Bobcats) tipped a shot from the point past Canton sophomore goalie Louie Puig (Chicago, Ill./Soo Eagles). The Bears outshot the Roos 19-8 in the first period.
The Roos tied the score on the power play just 1:18 into the middle period. Giczewski tucked a shot between Talarico’s left pad and the right post to make it 2-2. Sophomore forward Kristian Leach (Indianapolis, Ind./Kenai River Brown Bears) notched the assist. Nine minutes later, Caligiuri scored his first goal as a Bear after a rebound in front of the Canton goal to put the Bears up for good. Junior forward Ken Simon (Norwell, Mass./Philadelphia Revolution) and junior defenseman Dan McCamey (Dayton, Ohio/Minnesota Flying Aces) assisted on the goal.
Junior assistant captain Ryan Miller (Didsbury, Alberta/Arizona State) gave Potsdam a 4-2 advantage on helpers from Caligiuri and junior forward Zach Blake (Campbellford, Ontario/Plattsburgh State) at 8:39 of the third period. Senior captain Mike Arnold(Didsbury, Alberta/Kingston Voyageurs) made it 5-2 at 18:06 with an assist from Thomas. It appeared as though Potsdam would skate off with the three goal victory, but the Roos converted on a neutral zone turnover to score with just a second left. Giczewski roofed a pass from Vasilopolous for a shorthanded tally to close out the game at 5-3.
Talarico earned his fourth career victory with 20 saves. Puig took the loss with 39 stops. Potsdam outshot Canton 44-23 on the night. The Bears were 2-6 on the man advantage and Canton went 1-4.
