POTSDAM, N.Y.-The SUNY Potsdam men’s and women’s hockey teams were due to return to action this weekend for the first time since the end of their 2019-20 seasons. The Bears women travel to Geneva to take on William Smith College tomorrow night at 7 p.m. as scheduled. However, the men will have to wait a little longer as COVID has forced a postponement of this weekend’s home-and-home series with Saint Michael’s College. They will now open the season on November 5 at home against Oswego State.
Women
The Bears women will have a lot of changes this season. 13-year head coach Jay Green retired after the 2019-20 season. Greg Haney assumed leadership of the program last year and guided his squad through a pandemic season that saw the ice for practice, but not for games. He’s joined by first year assistant Mike Kuruc as the Bears open up tomorrow evening.
Graduate student forward Alexis Clark (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) is the team’s captain this year. Senior forwards Ellie Cleary (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) and Allie Banas (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) will be the assistants. 10 veterans return for 2021-22 and nine new faces join the program.
The bulk of the team’s experience comes at the offensive end of the ice as Potsdam returns eight forwards. Junior Kaylee Merrill (Wasilla, Alaska/Anchorage North Stars) was third in scoring as a freshman in 2019-20, earning a spot on the NEWHL All-Rookie Team. She tallied 13 goals, including three on the power play, and two assists for 15 points, while seeing time in all 24 games. Cleary had two goals and eight assists for a career-high 10 points in 24 games. Junior Emily DellaNeve (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) had three goals and five assists for eight points in 24 contests. Clark and junior Alex Quinn (Potsdam, N.Y./St. Lawrence Steel) each posted two goals and four assists for six points, seeing action in every contest. Banas registered a personal best six assists. Senior Stephanie Dunlap (Bath, Mich./Meijer U19 AAA) played in 23 games and chipped in two goals and an assist and senior Mackenzie Martin played in all 24 games.
A sophomore and two freshman join the forward ranks this season. Sophomore Lexi Warner (Littleton, Mass./North Shore Vipers) was with the team last season, but is still awaiting her first collegiate action. Freshman Karley Green (Potsdam, N.Y./St. Lawrence Steel) stays in her hometown for college and classmate Lyvia Chambers (Buffalo, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) comes from Buffalo and may also see time on the blue line.
The Bears return only two players on defense. Graduate Student Emily Burke (San Jose, Calif./San Jose Jr. Sharks) is back for her fourth season. She scored a goal and had three assists in 24 games two years ago. Junior Abigail Lyon (Winthrop, N.Y./Lake Placid) has played in 49 games in her career, including each one in 2019-20.
Potsdam has added four new defenseman this season. Junior Taylor Swamp (Akwesasne, N.Y./St. Lawrence Steel) is a local addition, while sophomore Rebecca Holmes (Lawtons, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) and freshmen Megan Sheehan (Akron, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) and Sara Barrett (Tonawanda, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) make their way to Potsdam from Western New York.
Both of the Bears goaltenders will be new this season. Sophomore Ellie Zurfluh (Aravada, Colo./Team Colorado) comes halfway across the continent and freshman Hannah Barrett (Tonawanda, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) joins her sister Sara in the trek from Tonawanda.
After starting off the season with a home-and-home series with old ECAC West foe William Smith, the Bears will play five more nonconference games and two exhibitions. They’ll play brand new program Paul Smith’s in an exhibition on November 13. Potsdam then takes on familiar opponent Saint Michael’s for a home-and-home series on November 26-27. The Bears will face Colby College in the first round of the Castleton University Invitational on December 10, followed by a yet to be determined opponent the following afternoon. New program Worcester State comes to Maxcy Ice Arena on February 4 and the teams will play an exhibition game the next day. The Bears open NEWHL play on Friday, November 5, when they host Morrisville at 3 p.m.
