BUFFALO, NY—Buffalo State (11-11-3/7-6-3) scored twice on its first three shots, but could only manage a 4-4 tie against visiting Geneseo (12-9-4/9-6-1) tonight in the regular-season finale at the Ice Arena.
Taylor Pryce (Newmarket, ON/Cardinal Carter) tallied two goals and added an assist to pace Buffalo State. Marcus Michalski (Woodstock, ON/St. Mary’s Catholic) and Zach Nieminen (Ajax, ON/Notre Dame CSS) also scored, and Jake Rosen (E. Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) picked up three assists.
Goals came early and often in the opening period as Pryce started the scoring just 3:52 into the game with a shorthanded tally after the Geneseo goalie misplayed the puck, giving Pryce an empty net. The Knights evened the score just over a minute later, but Pryce answered two minutes after that with his second of the game and sixth of the season, on the power play. Geneseo took its first lead of the game with a pair of power-play goals of its own, but the lead lasted just 35 seconds before Michalski netted his second of the season to even the score at 3-3 before the first intermission.
The trend looked as though it would continue with Geneseo netted a third power-play goal early in the second period. Nieminen completed the scoring for the game midway through the second, however, netting his fifth of the season.
Neither team would score the rest of the way, despite Buffalo State pulling its goalie for the final 50 seconds of overtime, knowing it needed a win to secure a home playoff game.
The Knights finished with a 32-27 advantage in shots and were 3 for 6 on the power play, compared to 1 for 6 by the Bengals. Mike DeLaVergne (Pawling, NY/Pawling) finished with 28 stops for Buffalo State.
Buffalo State fell into the No. 5 seed for the SUNYAC playoffs and will travel to No. 4 Potsdam on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. quarterfinal matchup.
