POTSDAM, N.Y.-SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey players Dylan Vander Esch (San Jose, N.Y./Hartford Wolfpack) and Kyle Thacker (Mississauga, Ontario/North York Rangers) have been named to the All-State University of New York Athletic Conference teams. Vander Esch has earned second team honors, while Thacker has been named to the third team.
Vander Esch, a senior assistant captain, led the Bears in scoring for the fourth straight season. He posted a career-high 28 points on 14 goals and 14 assists this year, placing him fifth in the league in scoring. In his four seasons, the forward scored 62 goals and added 39 assists for 101 points in 100 games. Vander Esch completes his career with six hat tricks, 27 multi-point games, ranked first in program history in game-winning goals (9), fifth in power-play goals (19) and seventh in goals. He was also named to the All-SUNYAC third team as a sophomore.
Thacker has always been a capable defender, but this season Potsdam’s senior captain exhibited his playmaking offensive talents. More than doubling his previous single season scoring high, Thacker’s 21 points were the third most of any defenseman in the SUNYAC this year and his 18 assists tied him for fifth among all conference scorers in the category. In 91 career games, he recorded eight goals and 33 assists for 31 points.
The duo accounted for nearly all the offense in Potsdam’s 4-3 heartbreaking playoff defeat at Buffalo State last night. Thacker recorded a goal and an assist, while Vander Esch finished with two goals and an assist.
The Bears completed their 2017-18 campaign with a 10-11-5 record, 6-8-2 SUNYAC, for a sixth place finish in the conference. They earned their third playoff appearance in four seasons.
