GENESEO, N.Y.-SUNY Geneseo (6-1-2, 3-1-2) scored four first period goals en route to a 6-2 victory over the SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey team (6-3-1, 6-2) on Friday night. Senior captain Todd Thomas (Davidsville, Pa./Hartford Wolfpack) and sophomore forward Joey Gilhooly (Brooklyn, N.Y./New York Bobcats) each scored for the Bears.
Thomas made the most of Potsdam’s first man advantage of the contest, burying a chance just 1:35 into game to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Junior defenseman Jake Butler (Atlanta, Ga./Smith Falls Bears) and sophomore forward Dylan Vander Esch (San Jose, Calif./Hartford Wolfpack) each recorded assists. However, the Ice Knights responded with four straight goals over the next 10:33. David Ripple tied the game at 3:42 and Brodie Tutton gave Geneseo the lead for good at 5:16. Trevor Hills extended the lead to 3-1 at 9:18 and Anthony Marra added a fourth at 12:08. The fourth tally signaled an early end to the night for Potsdam sophomore goaltender Brendan McMenimen (Merrimack, Mass./Islanders Hockey Club), who finished with eight saves. Freshman goalie Trever Ralph (Middletown, N.J./New Jersey Titans) replaced McMenimen in his collegiate debut. The score remained 4-1 after one.
The Bears were much better in the second period, but were unable to gain any ground. Geneseo outshot Potsdam 10-9 in the middle stanza. Gilhooly got the Bears back within two with a power-play marker at 10:49. Senior forward Matt Thompson (Anchorage, Alaska/Kenai River Brown Bears) assisted on the play. Tutton answered with his second of the night at 19:03 and the Ice Knights carried their 5-2 advantage into the locker room.
The first half of the third period was tightly contested, but Geneseo made the most of a power play midway through the third. Hills notched his second at 10:55 to make it 6-2. Neither team was able to find the back of the net again as the Ice Knights kept Potsdam out of the win column for the fourth straight contest.
Ralph finished with 25 saves on 27 shots in 47:52 and Devin McDonald made 29 saves to improve to 6-0-1 on the season.
The Bears were 2-for-3 on the power play and Geneseo went 1-for-5.
Potsdam looks to end a four-game winless streak against Brockport tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
