ELMIRA, N.Y.—Five different Bears scored as the SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey team (6-1-1) rallied to defeat Elmira College (3-5-1) 5-3 on Tuesday night. Senior captain Kyle Thacker (Missisauga, Ontario/North York Rangers) recorded a goal and two assists to lead the Bears. Senior assistant captain Dylan Vander Esch (San Jose, Calif./Hartford Wolfpack) and junior defenseman Mike Sweeney (Pittsburgh, Pa./PAL Islanders) each recorded a goal and an assist. Sophomore forward Anthony Merante (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Thorold Blackhawks) and freshman forward Joey Sollazzo (Ottawa, Ontario/Navan Grads) also scored for Potsdam and junior goalie Nate Skidmore (Syracuse, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) finished with 34 saves for the victory.
The Soaring Eagles got on the board first after the Bears were whistled for a minor. Nick Ford struck on the power play for a 1-0 lead at 10:18. Potsdam evened the score at 16:42. Thacker found the back of the net with assists from sophomore forward Nate Zweig (Binghamton, N.Y./Syracuse Stars) and Sweeney. Skidmore stopped nine shots in the opening period to preserve the tie heading into the first intermission.
Ford netted his second of the night five minutes into the second period, but again Potsdam countered, this time twice in 1:34. Freshman defenseman Jon Venter (Guilford, Conn./Syracuse Stars) set up Merante to tie the game at 15:13. Sweeney gave the Bears the lead at 16:47 with assists from Thacker and Vander Esch. Skidmore stopped 13 more shots in the middle stanza and the Bears led 3-2 after 40 minutes.
At 7:21 of the third period, Potsdam took an interference penalty and Elmira capitalized. Matthew Cuce tied the game with another power-play marker at 8:23. Skidmore made eight saves the rest of the way to give his offense a chance and the Bears came through. With just 51 seconds remaining, Thacker and sophomore forward Tyler Young (Massena, N.Y./Kanata Lasers) set up Vander Esch for the eventual game winner. The Soaring Eagles pulled goalie Jake Sabourin for an extra attacker with 42 seconds left, but Sollazzo finished Elmira with an empty-netter 13 seconds later. Young and senior assistant captain Sean Kacerosky (Kendall Park, N.J./New York Bobcats) assisted on the goal.
Sabourin made 30 saves in a losing cause. The Soaring Eagles outshot the Bears 37-35 and went 2-for-3 on the power play. The Bears didn’t have a man advantage.
Potsdam returns to action on Friday, Dec. 1, when the Bears head to Fredonia for a 7 p.m. showdown with the Blue Devils.
