POTSDAM, N.Y.-The SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey team (2-1, 1-1 SUNYAC) registered its second straight upset of a ranked team in as many games with a 2-1 triumph at SUNY Geneseo (2-1, 2-1) on Friday night. The Bears never trailed as they got goals from junior forward Matt Thompson (Anchorage, Alaska/Kenai River Brown Bears) and senior assistant captain Ken Simon (Norwell, Mass./Philadephia Revolution). Potsdam junior goalie and reigning SUNYAC Goalie of the Week Jon Hall (Dexter, N.Y./Stouffville Spirit) made 29 saves to slam the door on the Ice Knights.
Potsdam took the ice with fire in the first period. The Bears outplayed Geneseo for the entire stanza and broke through at the8:46 mark. Sophomore forward Logan Brown (North Woodstock, N.H./Boston Rangers) set up Thompson for the 1-0 lead. Potsdam finished the period with the one-goal advantage and a 17-10 lead in shots.
Geneseo answered with momentum of it’s own in the second period. While the teams traded seven penalties over the first seven minutes, the Ice Knights tested Hall often. Geneseo finally got on the board at the 8:05 mark. Ryan Donnelly netted the temporary equalizer on helpers from Pat Condon and RJ Burns. The Ice Knights would not beat Hall again and the period ended with a 1-1 score.
Just 40 seconds into the third period, Simon buried a feed from junior forward Billy Pascalli (Deer Park, N.Y./New York Bobcats) for the eventual game-winner. Senior defenseman Kevin O’Connor(Ann Arbor, Mich./New Mexico Mustangs) recorded the second assist. For the remainder of the period, Potsdam battled evenly with Geneseo and Hall kept the Bears in front. Potsdam killed off two final Ice Knight power plays, including one with three minutes to go, and earned another huge victory in the young season.
Geneseo goalie Nick Horrigan finished with 33 saves as the Bears outshot the Ice Knights 35-30 on the evening. Potsdam was 0-4 on the power play and Geneseo went 0-5.
The Bears were the only SUNYAC team to beat Geneseo on its home ice last season and are the first to do it this year.
