CODY IS THE CONFERENCE'S BEST!

The State University of New York Athletic Conference has announced the Coach of the Year, Herb Hammond (Player) of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards for the 2011-12 men’s ice hockey season. The awards are voted on by the conference coaches.

The Player of the Year award is named after Herb Hammond who coached at SUNY Oswego (1969-1980) and Plattsburgh (1981-83). At Oswego he compiled a 176-122-5 mark and at Plattsburgh a 52-17-4 record. He was named the 1982 Division III Coach of the Year. He also coached at Division I Brown University from 1983-88. He left coaching to become a National Hockey League score for 11 seasons before his death in 2009.

The 2012 Herb Hammond award goes to The College at Brockport senior forward James Cody (Schwenksville, PA). This is the first time a Brockport athlete has been voted the Player of the Year since the award began in 1983-84. Cody is a two time All-SUNYAC selection including first team honors this season. Cody scored 11 goals and had eight assists in 15 SUNYAC regular-season games. Overall, he ranked 22nd in points per game (1.42) in NCAA Division III with 19 goals and 15 assists. His 19 goals led the conference this season while his 34 points ranks fifth. During the 2011-12 season, Cody eclipsed the 100 points mark for his career as he finished with 116 career points (60 goals, 56 assists) and led the Golden Eagles in scoring three of his four years.

Fredonia forward Jared Wynia (Calgary, Alberta) has been selected the Rookie of the year. Wynia is the third Blue Devil to earn the honor and the first since Eric Preston in 1993-94. The other Fredonia rookie was Paul Kkwiatkowski (1988-89).

Wynia has played in 19 games this season and ranks fifth on the team with 15 points on nine goals and six assists. Six of his goals have been scored on the power play, ranking him third in the conference as Fredonia is effective 21.5 percent of the time. Wynia helped lead the Blue Devils to a No. 5 seed in the conference tournament with a league record of 6-7-3. Fredonia defeated fourth-seeded Geneseo in the quarterfinals, 4-1, and will face No. 1 Oswego in the semifinals for the second straight year on Feb. 25.

Plattsburgh State head coach Bob Emery has been named the SUNYAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career. In his 23rd season behind the Cardinal bench, he has guided his team to a current 17-4-4 overall record and a No. 2 seed in the conference tournament with a league mark of 12-3-1. During the season Emery became the 20th coach in NCAA history to attain 500 wins, and just the fifth to do it exclusively at the Division III level. The Cardinals are the second-seed for the sixth time in tournament history, making 21 consecutive trips to the SUNYAC post-season and 25th overall.

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NEWS STORY ABOUT BROCKPORT RECRUIT PFEFFER

Former SV Raider Pfeffer to play hockey at Brockport

The sport of ice hockey has taken former Seneca Valley forward Logan Pfeffer places. As a junior and again as a senior in high school, Pfeffer helped the Raiders get to the Penguins Cup finals.

From the high school ranks, he then was a factor in the Ontario Junior Hockey League with the Streetsville Derbys before moving on to play for the Dixie BeeHives. Pfeffer then caught on with the Mississauga Chargers, where he was third on the team in scoring with 22 points in 43 games.

Despite having played all over Canada, playing college hockey was always in the plans for Pfeffer at some point, and with the timing right, he accepted a scholarship from Brockport in New York, where he will play for the Golden Eagles for the next four years.

"I had six schools recruiting me, but when I visited most of them, they were missing something with either the academics or hockey," Pfeffer said. "But, Brockport was the whole package. Great academics, a nice campus, and the coaches told me how I would be a fit."

Pfeffer's scoring prowess was enticing to a team that will graduate a lot of firepower this year.

"They saw my speed and skill and said I would be a factor as a freshman," Pfeffer said. "They want me to play right away.

"And, I will be near Buffalo, so my family can come see me play sometimes."

Pfeffer could play a great deal, as he has seen a lot of action against Canada's finest players in the OJHL for two years.

Pfeffer said that a lot of freshmen coming into college are bigger and stronger because they play for a few years before committing to college.

"I am bigger, stronger and have more weight on me," he said. "I was playing against a high level of talent in junior hockey, and my overall game is better."

Pfeffer got a good vibe from the Golden Eagles when he visited, and said he liked the way the team supports one another.

In 93 OJHL games Pfeffer tallied 23 goals and 32 assists.

Source:

http://www.yourcranberry.com/news/article/former-sv-raider-pfeffer-play-hockey-brockport


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PHYSICAL FORWARD ZAGARI COMMITS TO BROCKPORT

Brockport has received a commitment from Michael Zagari of the Jamestown Ironmen of the NAHL. Michael is a 6'3 power forward that will open up the ice for his line mates. The Golden Eagles are very excited about having Michael on campus and a part of the team. He is a very intelligent young man -- a great student -- and a great personality. The coaches feel that with Michael's big frame and aggressive nature he will be a perfect fit on Brockport's forecheck. He is an intimidating force out on the ice and is very physical. He will create a lot of turnovers and punish the opposition's defense.




I checked out Zagari on the 'net and he's a real bruiser. Here are some highlights of his many fights that can be found online:

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SOME THOUGHTS ON THE SENIORS

Not to date myself, but I’ve been around campus for a long time, since the fall of 1993. Over that time, I’ve seen students come and go in a variety of sports. I must say that this batch of hockey seniors is certainly the most universally beloved of all the classes ever, not only in hockey but also in the sports that were always more “mainstream” on campus – like football and basketball.

This group has endeared themselves to the student body, campus community and the Brockport village residents with 4 years of successful and exciting hockey that made the sport mainstream both on campus and in town…finally! They’ve catapulted ice hockey to the most beloved team around.

For my first 15 years as a fan, the games were lightly attended and the team not-so-followed by Brockporters. But these men – with the help of other alumni of the playoff era (like Dave McNab and Todd Sheridan to name a couple) – made things happen on the ice that introduced scores of students and what seems like just as many local families to the joys of college hockey.

You can see the appreciation amongst the fans in Twitter posts, Facebook posts and newspaper articles that have come since the close of the season. Many of the fans are contemplative of these seniors’ careers and are truly saddened by their impending graduation. They value the memories – of great games, great plays and great community outreach – that these men have provided.

It’s a special group. Count me as among the many who are sad to see them go, but glad we got to see them in action for 4 years.

Thank you, gentlemen!

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ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT'S REPORT ON ALL-SUNYAC

Seniors James Cody (Schwenksville, PA) and Ian Finnerty (Ardmore, PA) and junior Mike Hayward (Toronto, ONT) of The College at Brockport Men's Hockey team have been named to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) All-Conference team.

Cody has been named to the first-team All-SUNYAC after being named to the third team last season. Cody becomes the first Brockport player to earn first-team honors since goalie Todd Sheridan was named to the first-team in 2009-2010. Cody also becomes the first player to earn all-conference honors in two consecutive seasons since Sheridan accomplished the feat in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. During the 2011-2012 season, Cody eclipsed the 100 point mark for his career. The forward finished his Brockport career with 116 career points (60 goals, 56 assists) and led the Golden Eagles in scoring in three of his four years and goals all four years. Cody finished the 2011-2012 season with 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists), good enough for fourth place in the SUNYAC this season while his 19 goals led the league.

Finnerty has been named to the second-team All-SUNYAC. Finnerty earned his first All-SUNYAC selection after leading Brockport in scoring in 2011-2012 with 36 points. The 36 points were the third-most in the league this season. The senior scored 11 goals, including two game winners, and had 25 assists, which were second-most in the conference. Finnerty finished his Brockport career with 87 points (26 goals, 61 assists).

Hayward has also been selected as a second-team All-SUNYAC member. It is the first time Hayward has received a postseason accolade from the conference. Hayward tied for first place in the SUNYAC for goals by a defender with six and finished the season with 14 points. The six goals are also a career-high in a season. Hayward is the first Brockport defensive player to be named all-conference since the 2008-2009 when Mike Gershon was named to the second team.

It is the first time in Brockport school history that three players have earned all-conference selections. The last time Brockport had more than one player on any of the all-conference teams was in 2004-2005 when Mark Digby and Ian MacLean both earned third-team honors.

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CONGRATS TO OUR 3 ALL-SUNYAC PICKS!

What was one of the more exciting seasons for the Brockport Golden Eagles came about from the results of standout performances by a number of Golden Eagles, including 3 of them (an all-time high for the school's program) who were selected to one of the All-SUNYAC teams. Here are the results....


2011-12 SUNYAC Ice Hockey All-Conference Teams

First Team
Name School Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown

James Cody # Brockport F Sr. 6-2 210 Schwenksville, PA
Bryan Ross # Fredonia F Sr. 5-10 175 Livonia, MI
Jon Whitelaw Oswego F Jr. 5-9 170 Huntsville, ONT
Danny Scagnelli # Geneseo D Sr. 5-10 175 College Point, NY Mike Grace # Plattsburgh D Jr. 6-0 170 Rochester, NY
Mathieu Cadieux Plattsburgh G So. 6-1 205 Oshawa, ONT


Second Team
Name School Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown

Ian Finnerty Brockport F Sr. 6-0 180 Ardmore, PA
Paul Rodrigues Oswego F Jr. 5-10 185 Etobicoke, ONT
Sy Nutkevitch Potsdam F Sr. 6-0 170 Montreal, QUE
Michael Hayward Brockport D Jr. 6-2 210 Toronto, ONT
Zack Josepher Oswego D Jr. 6-0 190 Wantagh, NY
Kevin Carr # Buffalo State G So. 6-0 175 Unionville, ONT


Third Team
Name School Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown

Drew Klin Buffalo State F Jr. 5-9 175 Lancaster, NY
Zachary Vit ! Geneseo F So. 6-3 200 Villanova, PA
Kyle Kudroch Plattsburgh F Sr. 5-9 185 Cottam, ONT
Taylor Farris Oswego D Jr. 6-1 190 Oakville, ONT
Erick Ware Potsdam D Fr. 6-2 190 Huntsville, AL
Andrew Hare Oswego G Jr. 5-11 185 Burlington, ONT


# All-Conference 2010-11
! Rookie of the Year 2010-11

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THANKS TO THE SENIORS FOR A GREAT SEASON AND A GREAT 4 YEARS!

BROCKPORT'S PLAYOFF HOPES END IN SEASON FINALE

The recap of Saturday's game from the Brockport Athletic Department...


Sophomore Steve Sachman (Medford, NY) scored a first period goal to give The College at Brockport a 1-0 lead that held up until the third period before Morrisville tied the score and eventually won with 7.6 seconds left to play after a very questionable penalty call against the Golden Eagles Saturday night in Morrisville.

With the loss, Brockport (9-13-3 Overall, 5-9-2), finished the regular season in a tie with Potsdam for the sixth – and final playoff spot for the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament. The Bears, despite losing both games over the weekend, finished with 12 points but had more conference victories than Brockport and therefore earned the final playoff spot.

In the first period, Sachman picked up a loose puck in front of the Morrisville net and scored to give Brockport the lead.

After a scoreless second period, Morrisville tied the game early in the third period and the game remained tied until a chaotic final few minutes of the contest.

With less than four minutes remaining, sophomore Brendon Rothfuss (Webster, NY) was whistled for a check from behind for a five-minute major and a game misconduct. The penalty was not called until several minutes after the actual play as a Morrisville player was injured and required attention from the athletic training staff. The Golden Eagles played shorthanded for the final minutes of the game and were further handicapped with just 35 seconds left to play when Ian Finnerty (Ardmore, PA) was called for a cross checking penalty to give the Mustangs a two-man advantage.

Just over 20 seconds later, Morrisville scored the go-ahead goal with 7.6 seconds left on the clock.

“I thought we played well for the most part,” said head coach Brian Dickinson. “It's just frustrating because (the call against Finnerty) didn't look like a penalty to me.”

The call put Brockport in a tough position late in the game but the Golden Eagles had chances to score earlier in the game that could have prevented the late-game calls.

“The bottom line is that we didn't do enough offensively to win the game,” said Dickinson. “You have to cash in on the opportunities when you have them especially when you have a 5-on-3 advantage.”

It was the final game for six seniors as Finnerty, Adam Shoff (Port Dover, ONT), Gregg Amato (Ocean Gate, NJ), Brett Jendra (Bolingbrook, IL) and Oliver Wren (Oakville, ONT) played for the final time. The sixth senior, James Cody (Schwenksville, PA) did not play after being assessed a one-game suspension for a hit in the Potsdam game.

“There are six guys that are obviously disappointed right now because they should have had a chance to play at least another game. They will be able to say that they played on a team that beat both Plattsburgh and Elmira in the same year and not many Brockport players can say that.”


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CORTLAND HOSTING SAVES FOR A CURE GAME THIS WEEKEND

The SUNY Cortland men’s ice hockey team will be holding its first annual “Saves For A Cure” night when the Red Dragons host SUNY Plattsburgh at Alumni Arena on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m.

The Red Dragons are raising money by accepting pledges for each save Cortland goaltenders register versus the Cardinals. All of the money raised will benefit “Saves for a Cure,” a non-profit organization with the sole purpose of helping children with their battle against cancer.

The organization was founded by former The College at Brockport goaltender Todd Sheridan, who successfully battled cancer himself, and over the past few years has made generous donations to the Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., to help re-supply and reconstruct its children’s cancer facilities.

Businesses and individuals are welcome to pledge any dollar amount per save made by the Red Dragons. Straight donations are also welcomed.

In addition, the Cortland players will be wearing special custom-made jerseys during the game that feature the “Saves For A Cure” logo on them. An auction will be held for fans to purchase the jerseys, with all money raised from the auction also completely going to the “Saves For a Cure” foundation. Bidding on the jerseys will begin on Wednesday, Feb. 15, and will run through Sunday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. online.

To make donations or to learn more about supporting the cause, please contact Cortland senior goalie Mike Reilly or call (607) 745-5635.

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BREAKING DOWN THE PLAYOFF MESS

This week's SUNYAC column at USCHO is a detailed report on who gets into the playoffs based on a variety of win-lose scenarios this weekend. The article starts as...

This is it. The last weekend of the regular season. No more, “We’ll get ‘em next week.” No more, “We need some points next weekend.” No more, “We’ll learn from these lessons and apply them next week.”

For next week is the playoffs. This is your last chance to either get in them, host a game, or take a breather.

Let’s set the stage for what can happen when this weekend is over. Hopefully, your head won’t explode like mine did.

Before we begin, here are the tiebreaker rules as stated in the 2011-12 SUNYAC Handbook under the Ice Hockey Team Operating Codes and Tournament Information section.

1. The best record of tied teams against each other based on Conference play (tournament play will not be considered).
2. Number of total Conference wins over ties if points are equal.
3. Goal differential against each other in Conference play.
4. Goal differential against all other Conference teams.
5. Coin flip by Commissioner.

Read Jaslow's full report at:

http://www.uscho.com/2012/02/16/sunyac-playoff-jenga/

EAGLES NEST HIGHLIGHTS OF POTSDAM GAME

EAGLES NEST HIGHLIGHTS OF PLATTSBURGH GAME

JAMES CODY IS SUSPENDED FOR SATURDAY'S GAME

James Cody will be unable to participate in what would have been the last regular season game of his career and what is certainly the most important game of Brockport’ season – Saturday’s playoff-deciding match-up against Morrisville. The SUNYAC has suspended Brockport’s leading goal scorer for that game in response to a hit levied against a Potsdam player last Saturday.

The hit in question was clean and the outcome of the collision (an injured player) wasn’t based in negligent or malicious brutality and was solely the result of a size mismatch: a 5’8” player was matched up against the larger Cody. Physics what they are, the smaller forward came out on the losing end of the collision.

Saturday’s hit was no different than any hit I’ve seen over my 19 years of watching the game at the DIII level. As a matter of fact, the Golden Eagles were known for such blue collar play in great quantity 3 and 4 years ago during the playoff years. But, the times are a changing in the SUNYAC.

Clean hits – even the hardest clean hits – are a part of the game at every level of play from youth hockey to the NHL. The league, though, seems to frown on it and is making the SUNYAC become nothing more than a non-checking league, as any hard-charging player will have to second guess his checks for fear of reprisal. If a check or open ice hit is clean, what constitutes it as being “too hard?” That’s the question all players must now deal with.

One can only assume Potsdam submitted the protest to league heads in hopes of keeping the dynamic Cody off the ice this Saturday, which could weaken the Golden Eagles and make their chances of winning a little more difficult, which gives Potsdam an edge as they fight for their playoff lives. That makes it a protest not done for what’s right, but rather one done for self-interest.


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ANDY LIPARI'S THOUGHTS ON THE PLATTSBURGH WIN

From the pages of the Stylus....

Being a huge sports fan, there is always a part of me that is disappointed I didn't get to go to a Division I school. Having players who are aired on ESPN sit next to you in class would be bizarre and thrilling. Think about attending Alabama this year and having your football team win the national championship. Or maybe it's easier for you to travel down the thruway and attend Syracuse with a basketball team that's a serious threat.

Another possible thrill about going to a big school is the possibility of a major upset. How would you like to have been at Iowa State to storm the field when they knocked off an unbeaten Oklahoma State team earlier this year? Or how about being at Notre Dame when the Irish knocked off the last undefeated team in Syracuse a month ago. Sorry Cuse fans.

After almost four years at Brockport, I haven't experienced anything like the above scenarios, until last Friday, Feb. 10. Brockport's hockey team defeating No. 3 Plattsburgh, 4-2, was that "big school" moment for Brockport. I've been covering the hockey team for three years, and that's by far the most exciting game I've seen them play. It was one of the best hockey games I've seen at any level.

To put the upset in perspective, the records don't go far back enough to discover the last time Brockport beat Plattsburgh, or if they ever have at all. In the 23 seasons Head Coach Bob Emery has been at Plattsburgh, he's won 15 SUNYAC titles, went to nine national semi-final appearances and has won two national championships. It's fair to say they're kind of a big deal.

To quote Herb Brooks before the Americans played the Soviets in 1980, "If we played them 10 times, they might win nine." For Brockport, it's more like 50 times and Plattsburgh might win 49. But Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 was that one time.

As the game started, I expected a blowout. After all, I've watched Plattsburgh come in here before and win with ease. Before I even sat down, Brockport had taken a penalty. Not even four minutes in, they were down 1-0 and the blowout flashbacks came to my mind.

When James Cody scored a minute later, I didn't think much of it. Plattsburgh scored again before the end of the period. Down 2-1, I thought for sure Brockport was going down another 7-1 route.

But the play of Ollie Wren was one of the best individual efforts I've seen in person. He tried giving credit to his defense two weeks ago, but when a man comes out of the penalty box and has a one-on-one breakaway, there isn't any defense to help him.

Wren, and his defense, didn't allow Plattsburgh to score in the final 50 minutes. If Brockport was going to pull this upset off, they needed something miraculous — and they got it. When Nick Panepinto put Brockport ahead with three minutes left, the roof on Tuttle North almost blew off. I've never seen a Brockport sporting event with that much emotion. Everyone could feel the tension and Panepinto made all of it burst out in a collective roar.

When the final buzzer went off, the team attacked Wren like they won a championship, and for this team, they might as well have. This group of seniors was the first freshman class to experience a postseason. They helped build this program into a team that expects to make the postseason every year.

While this game didn't happen at South Bend or Columbus, it had the sports drama that would rival any of those big schools. And it also shows the unpredictability of sports. Just when it seems like it's easy to figure out, Brockport beats Plattsburgh.

Source: http://www.thestylus.net/hockey-team-s-win-gives-b-port-hope-1.2779669

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THE STYLUS'S ANDY LIPARI REPORTS ON LAST WEEKEND'S GAMES

Brockport's 4-2 upset over Plattsburgh last Friday, Feb. 20, was both monumental and improbable. The No. 3 ranked Cardinals, a perennial SUNYAC powerhouse and two-time national champion, found themselves on the losing side against Brockport for the first time since Brockport head coach Brian Dickinson started at the college in 1996.

The last three times Plattsburgh came to Brockport, the Eagles lost by an average score of 6-1. In 2009 and 2010, Plattsburgh eliminated Brockport from the SUNYAC tournament in the semi-final round. It's fair to say Brockport has had its problems with the Cardinals.

The game didn't start as though an upset was in the making. Three minutes into the game, Brockport gave Plattsburgh a power play that Plattsburgh capitalized on to take an early 1-0 lead. If Brockport was going to pull off this upset, it couldn't afford to give Plattsburgh the man-advantage. It only took 59 seconds for the Eagles to tie the game.

Senior forward James Cody leads the team with 19 goals and scored a hat trick. His first of the night tied the game and gave Brockport hope.

Dickinson said that was when the team felt it could pull off the upset.

"When we answered that fast, the atmosphere on the bench felt like we could do this," he said. "As a coach, we wanted to get out of the first period in good shape. We made adjustments after the first period that made it tougher for them to get good scoring chances."

Brockport senior goaltender, Oliver Wren, had 37 saves in a spectacular performance against Plattsburgh. With the game tied 2-2, Brockport had a 5-3 power play that could've ended in disaster. Within 90 seconds of each other, both men came out of the penalty box and were fed the puck at center ice, leaving them one-on-one with Wren. Both times, Wren made the save on the breakaway.

"I haven't been pleased with my performance on breakaways this year, but I worked on it in practice with the assistant coaches a lot this week," Wren said. "The work paid off on the one-on-one situations and I couldn't be happier that as a team, we came out and won."

With 2:58 to go, junior forward Nick Panepinto made Tuttle North Ice Arena erupt when he put the Golden Eagles up 3-2. Cody added an empty net goal to secure the victory.

"For all the hard work and heartache we've gone through, this is the best feeling for the seniors," Wren said. "It's unbelievable."

Despite the huge victory on Friday, the important game for Brockport was Saturday, Feb. 11 against Potsdam. Brockport won 5-3, keeping the team hopeful about it's chances to enter the playoffs.

Brockport was two points behind Potsdam before the game and moved into a tie with the Bears for the sixth and final playoff spot. Currently, Brockport is one point behind Geneseo, which holds fifth place.

In order for Brockport to have a chance at entering the playoffs they must defeat Morrisville Saturday, Feb. 18, in the team's last game of the season. To make it in, the Eagles need help from Morrisville. It needs to knock off Geneseo Friday, Feb. 17 allowing Brockport to jump over them. If the two teams are tied in points, Brockport will have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The other way to make the playoffs is if Potsdam comes away with only one point in games at Cortland and Oswego next week. A Brockport victory over Morrisville will give them the final playoff spot. If these two teams are tied, they'll need to find the tiebreaker for the final spot.

Saturday's victory capped off the historic weekend for Brockport. Panepinto continued his hot weekend with two goals against Potsdam, as did sophomore forward Mike Baxter. Freshman forward Troy Polino had the game-winning goal at 8:38 in the third period. Wren had 31 saves.

As Saturday was senior night, it was the last home game for most of the team. Dickinson said there isn't a better way to send them out.

"To beat these two teams in one weekend is something no other team here has done, and the seniors will always have that," Dickinson said. "Probably the best weekend in the history of the program."

Source: http://www.thestylus.net/bearing-down-a-playoff-spot-1.2779693


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JASLOW DISCUSSES BROCKPORT'S BIG WEEKEND

USCHO SUNYAC columnist Russell Jaslow looked at Brockport's big weekend in his weekly SUNYAC wrap-up...

Brockport sweeps to playoff contention

A funny thing happened on the way to Brockport’s early elimination from playoff contention. Last week they tied Geneseo, and this weekend, they did the impossible. Impossible because it’s never been done before.

“With last night’s win being the first one in approximately 30 years, I’m sure this is the first ever sweep of North Country teams, either on the road or at home,” Brockport coach Brian Dickinson said. “We put together two really solid efforts.”

Their stunning 4-2 victory over Plattsburgh Friday night was so rare, it’s only happened once before. These two schools have met 75 times, and Brockport has only won twice. Twice.

Just as impressive is how the Golden Eagles won the game. Twice they fell behind in the first period, only to fight their way back, scoring the last three goals of the game.

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.uscho.com/mens-d3-blog/2012/02/13/sunyac-wrap-feb-13/


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ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT'S INTERVIEW WITH NICK PANEPINTO

BROCKPORT SCORES HAT TRICK IN SUNYAC AWARDS

The Sports Information Department reports on the clean sweep by the Brockport trio...


Senior Oliver Wren (Oakville, ONT), junior Nick Panepinto (Tonawanda, NY) and Freshman Troy Polino (Limerick, PA) swept the weekly State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) awards. The Golden Eagles defeated No. 3 nationally ranked Plattsburgh for the first time in 30 years 4-2 on Friday night and defeated Potsdam 5-3 on Saturday night. The weekend sweep of the North Country teams is the first in school history.

Wren has been selected SUNYAC Goalie of the Week after earning both victories in net for Brockport. The senior posted 37 saves in 60 minutes of action against Plattsburgh and allowed just the two goals for .949 save percentage. The win over the Cardinals was just the second for Brockport in 75 meetings between the two. Against Potsdam, which also happened to be Senior Night for Wren and five other Golden Eagles, the netminder stopped 31 shots against three goals to improve his record to 6-8-2 on the season. Wren finished with a .932 save percentage on the weekend.

Panepinto has been named SUNYAC Player of the Week following the 2-0 week for Brockoprt. Panepinto scored the game-winning goal with less than three minutes to play in the third period to give the Golden Eagles a 3-2 lead and the eventual victory. The Golden Eagles rallied from two deficits during the game and scored the final three goals of the night, including Panepinto's. On Saturday night, Panepinto added two goals and an assist against Potsdam. His first goal was the game's first score and the second came as an insurance goal to put Brockport ahead 5-3 with under five minutes to play. Panepinto now has nine goals and eight assists for 17 points on the season. Panepinto is the fourth Golden Eagle to win the award this season, the most of any SUNYAC school.

Polino earned SUNYAC Rookie of the Week following a goal and an assist against Potsdam. Polino score the game-winning goal for Brockport against the Bears with 12 minutes left in the third period. Polino also assisted on Brockport's second goal of the game. The rookie also had three shots on goal against Plattsburgh. Polino is now tied for fourth place in the conference in rookie scoring 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists).

With the two wins the Golden Eagles improved their playoff chances drastically. Brockport is now tied with Potsdam for the sixth and final playoff spot. Both teams have 12 points, but Potsdam owns the current tiebreaker. Brockport has one game remaining, a Feb. 18 matchup against last-place Morrisville. Potsdam has two games remaining- Feb. 17 against Cortland and Feb. 18 against No. 1 nationally ranked Oswego.


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PANEPINTO IS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Junior forward Nick Panepinto (Tonawanda, NY) of the men’s ice hockey team has been named The College at Brockport Male Athlete of the Week following two weekend victories for the Golden Eagles.

On Friday night against No. 3 Nationally Ranked Plattsburgh, Panepinto scored the game-winning goal with three minutes remaining to upset the Cardinals at Tuttle North Ice Arena. Brockport added an insurance goal to seal the 4-2 victory.

On Saturday night, Panepinto scored two goals against Potsdam as the Golden Eagles moved into a tie for sixth place, the final playoff spot in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC), with the Bears. Panepinto scored the game’s first goal in the second period. With Brockport clinging to 4-3 lead, Panepinto added his second goal of the game with five minutes remaining to seal the victory for the Golden Eagles.

Panepinto now has nine goals and eight assists for 17 points on the season, good enough for fourth on the team. The Golden Eagles and Potsdam both have 12 points in the conference standings. Brockport has one game remaining, a Feb. 18 meeting at Morrisville while Potsdam has two games remaining against Cortland and Oswego.

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USCHO RECAP OF SATURDAY'S GAME

Russell Jaslow was at Saturady's game and recapped the event for USCHO. Note that his interpretation of the playoff scenario matches Potsdam's report, which differs from that of Brockport's. He, too, believes Potsdam holds the tie-breaker...

The win puts Brockport (9-12-3, 5-8-2 SUNYAC) in a tie for the last playoff spot with Potsdam (8-13-2, 6-8-0 SUNYAC). However, Brockport needs help. Potsdam holds the tie-breaker against Brockport. Thus, if the Bears win on Friday at Cortland or Saturday at Oswego, Brockport’s only other hope is for Geneseo, who is one point ahead of them, to lose to Morrisville and then Brockport must beat the Mustangs on Saturday.


Read his full analysis of the game here:

http://www.uscho.com/recaps/2012/02/11/brockport-pots-three-in-the-third-to-pull-away-from-potsdam/

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POTSDAM'S RECAP OF SATURDAY'S GAME

BROCKPORT, N.Y.—The Brockport Golden Eagles (9-12-3, 5-8-2 SUNYAC) scored three third period goals to defeat the SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey team (8-13-2, 6-8-0). The loss drops the Bears into a 6th place tie with Brockport for the final SUNYAC playoff spot. Potsdam topped Brockport 5-3 in Maxcy on Nov. 19.

The Golden Eagles outshot Potsdam 20-11 in the first period, but thanks to the sharp play from reigning SUNYAC Goalie of the Week Kevin McFarland, the game was scoreless after one.

Nick Panepinto drew first blood for the Golden Eagles at the 7:29 mark of the second period. Sophomore forward Adam Place, back in the lineup after four games, got Potsdam even just 41 seconds later. Senior captain Sy Nutkevitch recorded his 99th career point with an assist on the play. Freshman forward Vinny Buttitta notched the goal’s second assist. At 14:09, the Bears grabbed their only lead of the game as freshman forward Trevor Cope struck with assists from freshman forward Carlo Ahee and sophomore defenseman Nick Avgerinos. Mike Baxter answered exactly two minutes later for Brockport and the game entered the second intermission knotted at 2-2.

Baxter scored his second of the game 6:58 into the final stanza to give Brockport the lead for good. At the 8:38 mark, Troy Polino opened up a two-goal Golden Eagle lead. The Bears got back to within one 13 seconds later as senior Mike Foy. Senior defenseman Hunter Syrydiuk and junior forward Bill Tsekos each assisted on the goal. However, a Potsdam comeback wasn’t in the cards as Panepinto got his second goal to close the scoring at 5-3.

In goal, McFarland finished with 40 saves, while Golden Eagles goalie Oliver Wren made 31 stops to earn the victory. Potsdam was 0-3 on the power play and Brockport finished 0-5.

Potsdam currently still holds the upperhand in tiebreaking scenarios. Should the Bears and Brockport both win one game next weekend, Potsdam would clinch a playoff spot due to the second SUNYAC tiebreaking scenario, total conference wins. In that case the Bears would finish with seven wins to the Golden Eagles’ six. Or the Bears could clinch a spot with a Brockport loss to Morrisville on Saturday, Feb. 18. However, a Brockport win or tie combined with two Potsdam losses next weekend, would give the Golden Eagles the playoff berth.

The Bears look to cement their postseason appearance next Friday, Feb. 17, at Cortland. The puck drops at 7 p.m.

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ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT'S RECAP OF POTSDAM GAME

Sophomore Mike Baxter (Bracebridge, Ontario) and junior Nick Panepinto (Tonawanda, NY) scored two goals each to lead The College at Brockport Hockey team to a 5-3 victory over Potsdam Saturday night in a key State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game that juggled the conference standings with one week left in the regular season.

Brockport (9-12-3 Overall, 5-8-2) moved into a tie with Potsdam (8-13-2, 6-8) with 12 points each in the conference standings. Brockport has one game remaining with a road game at Morrisville next Saturday. Potsdam travels to Oswego and Cortland to finish the regular season. If the two teams remain tied, Brockport would have the tie-breaker advantage over the Bears.

After a scoreless first period Saturday, Panepinto put the Golden Eagles on the board with assists from Mike Hollander (Thornhill, ONT) and Mike Hayward (Toronto, ONT) 7:29 into the second period. Potsdam answered just 41 seconds later to knot the score at 1-1.

With less than six minutes remaining in the second period, Potsdam took a 2-1 lead but exactly two minutes later, Baxter scored his first of the season with assists going to Troy Polino (Limerick, PA) and Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY) and the two teams went into the second intermission with a 2-2 tie.

In the third period, Baxter doubled his season scoring total with his second goal of the night at the 6:58 mark with Marcus Farmer (Caledon, ONT) and Colby Spooner (Hilton, NY) picking up assists. Less than two minutes later, Polino scored what would turn out to be the game-winner. Steve Sachman (Medford, NY) and Gregg Amato (Ocean Gate, NJ) assisted on the play.

Just 13 seconds after a Potsdam timeout, the Bears cut the lead to a goal with 11 minutes remaining in the period.

Panepinto added his second goal of the night to seal the victory. Brendon Rothfuss (Webster, NY) fed the puck to Hollander before being knocked to the ice near the blue line. Hollander found Panepinto in front of the net for the fifth Brockport goal of the game and a two-goal advantage.

Senior Oliver Wren (Oakville, ONT) made 31 saves including three during a two-man advantage early in the second period.

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BROCKPORT BEATS POTSDAM 5-3, STAYS ALIVE

Saturday’s game was a game of emotions: Not only was it Senior Night, but it was also something comparable to a playoff game in the regular season. Brockport had to win or its playoff hopes would be dashed.

As always, Senior Night was bittersweet. It’s sad to see a group of seniors leave but you know they are going on to bigger and better things, securing careers and starting families -- I wish them the very best of luck in those endeavors. But, it was especially sad to see this group go. They have created so many memories, being PRODUCTIVE freshman and sophomores during the back-to-back playoff years and really lighting the lamp in their last year, which hopefully transforms into another playoff campaign. If you’ve been involved with the program as a player or fan, there’s something special that Gregg Amato, James Cody, Ian Finnerty, Brett Jendra, Adam Shoff and Oliver Wren brought to the ice. And, there’s something special they’ll bring to this ice…their successes have created a strong legacy that will continue to attract considerable talent to the Golden Eagles and maintain the excellence that these men helped to create.

The game itself was one for the ages, rounding out what was the greatest weekend in Brockport hockey as Brockport defeated Potsdam 5-3. With such production you imagine that the senior playmakers dominated. They didn’t. All but Gregg Amato (who had an assist) were kept off the score sheet. The goals came from underclassmen…Nick Panepinto and Mike Baxter scored twice each, huge performances for such a huge game.

The first period ended with two goose eggs. Brockport couldn’t score with 20 shots on goal, nor could Potsdam with 11. It wasn’t without close chances. With 15:43 left in the period Mike Hayward fired a killer slapshot from the blue line, but Kevin McFarland sucked it in with his glove, a feat he would repeat throughout a 40 save performance on the night. He did so with an excellent glove save with 4:29 left in the period. He was also aided with some good luck, an Ian Finnerty shot ringing off the post at the 14:10 mark. Oliver Wren also continued his lights out play of late with some excellent saves, including a beauty with 8:19 left in the first when he stretched just enough to reach and deflect a Potsdam shot so it bounced off the post.

The second period ended 2-2. It could have been worse for both teams. Steve Sachman came really close to scoring with a wrister at 16:57, but McFarland stopped it with his face. Then at 16:43 Wren got creamed on a breakaway as a Brockport defender was thrown right into him. It was a vicious collision and it looked bad for Wren as he came up favoring his hand. But, he toughed it out and continued to dominate. The man is on a mission!

15 seconds later it appeared that a goal was nearly scored against Brockport, but the ref made the right call that an offsides occurred a second earlier. Then at 15:39 Brockport faced a minute-long 5-on-3 (something that could have sunk their season), but they performed admirably, the special teams unit helping limit shots and Wren stopping 3 shots himself.

Scoring began at the 12:31 mark when Nick Panepinto sunk a shot from the home team entrance gate. Potsdam answered immediately when at 11:50 Adam Pace busted loose on a breakaway and beat Wren glove side. That wouldn’t faze Mr. Wren as at 10:23 he used an awesome save to put and end to save fancy skate work by Potsdam (and he was subsequently barreled over). Then at 10:20 he used the shaft of his stick to make another great save.

He fell victim, though, to one of the prettiest goals of the season…at 5:51 Trevor Cope was loping in front of the net when he pocketed a backhand, behind the back goal. Rarely do you see such fancy stick work. Yes, Potsdam is the enemy, put you have to marvel at it…as treasonous as it sounds, I’ll saw that it was an awesome goal.

But, Mike Baxter answered back exactly 2 minutes later when he took advantage of some chaos in front of the net and squared up to the side of a confused McFarland. It was impressive thinking man’s hockey.

Brockport came close to lighting the lamp with 12 seconds left in the period when Adam Shoff went top shelf, but it hit the crossbar, went straight downward and rather than bouncing in, bounced out. So close!

The third saw Brockport put up 3 to Potsdam’s 1. At 16:56 James Cody impressed the fans and scared the dickens out of Potsdam with something he’s done so many times over the past 4 years. He checked a Potsdam forward into the boards and the fellow went airborne. It took him a while to get off the ice, sporting a shoulder injury. Brockport fans will miss the physicality that Cody has brought to the ice. He’s been the rare talent who can both hit and score with excellence.

At 13:02 a streaking Mike Baxter scored again with shot on an open quarter, fed expertly by Marcus Farmer, who I must say has been the most improved player in the second semester, showing deft defensework and conservative playmaking that never becomes a turnover.

At 11:22 Troy Polino showed some serious coordination. As he was knocked to the ice he took a shot while he was nearly horizontal. That wrist shot found its mark. It was one of the more talented Brockport goals of the season and speaks volumes of his hand-eye coordination. I see this kid turning into a 12-goal scorer in the coming years.

Just a few seconds later at 11:09 Potsdam scored. Wren protested, saying the net was off its moorings, but the linesman would hear nothing of it.

Brockport tagged on an insurance goal at 5:14 when Nick Panepinto found the back of the net. I missed it because I was paying more attention to Brendon Rothfuss getting laid out as he assisted on the play. That in itself turned into a comical moment: Upon realizing the Golden Eagles scored, the prone Rothfuss bolted right up and skated to the corner at full speed to celebrate the goal. But, the ref grabbed him and wouldn’t let him go because he though Rothfuss was on a mad charge to get back at the guy who knocked him down. It took a couple of seconds but the ref finally figured out that, “oh, yeah, I guess he does want to celebrate.”

Brockport came out the victor, but we still don’t know what’s up until next week has finally cleared up the playoff picture. As you’ll read in some of the various sources mentioned later in the blog, there are conflicting reports of what the future brings based on tie breakers.

Regardless, it’s been a wild ride this season.

And, it’s been an awesome 4 years, seniors. Thanks for all the great memories, guys. I’ll miss you. The College will miss you. The townfolk will miss you. And, above all, your parents will miss seeing you play organized hockey, something you’ve probably done since 10 years of age. Hopefully next weekend will extend the season a few games more, so you can share more of those fleeting moments and great memories with the parents who have so supported you throughout the years. Good luck next weekend, in the playoffs, and in life.

Box score: http://www.uscho.com/box/mens-hockey/2012/02/11/potsdam-vs-brockport/

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ARE YOU READY FOR POTSDAM??

Here are some random musings I just put on the hockey Facebook page to get the troops fired up for tonight's game....


‎2 years ago on Senior Night Sean O'Malley missed the open net by mere inches, which would have given him a hat trick. Will a senior achieve that milestone in his last game at Tuttle North tonight?

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Plattsburgh coach Bob Emery won't tolerate a second loss, so a motivated Cardinal squad will beat Geneseo tonight. If Brockport wins tonight, that leaves Geneseo ahead by only 1 point, with Brockport and Geneseo both facing Morrisville next weekend.

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Let's not forget Fredonia. They, too, have 13 points to Brockport's 10. Fredonia plays Cortland tonight and Buffalo State next weekend. Can they drop both?

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And, to top it all off, we have tonight's opponent, Potsdam. The Bears are at 12 points. If Brockport wins tonight, they're tied. Potsdam then plays Cortland and Oswego next week. Oswego, well, they're tough. And Cortland loves to play spoiler. The second semester doesn't get any more dramatic than this!!


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PRESS-REPUBLICAN STORY ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S HUGE WIN

The Plattsburgh press looks at last night's affair...


BROCKPORT — Brockport scored three goals over the final two periods to end the Cardinals' 14-game unbeaten streak and make catching first-place Oswego that much more difficult for Plattsburgh.

James Cody recorded a hat trick and Nick Panepinto tallied the go-ahead goal late in the third as Brockport won the SUNY Athletic Conference men's hockey game, 4-2, Friday. According to the Brockport's Athletic Communications department, it was just the second time in 75 meetings that the Golden Eagles beat the Cardinals.

"I felt if our team wanted to win it bad enough, we would've of won," Plattsburgh coach Bob Emery said. "We didn't play a smart second period. Guys didn't get the puck in deep. We got caught out there on some long changes, and we took a couple bad penalties because we were tired.

"The momentum shifted right there in the second period from Plattsburgh to Brockport."

The Golden Eagles (8-12-7, 4-8-2 SUNYAC) became just the second SUNYAC team to beat the Cardinals this season, handing them their first loss since Nov. 25.

Plattsburgh (15-3-4, 10-2-1) slipped to three points behind Oswego in the conference standings with three games left. To finish first, the Cardinals would need to win out and get some help.

"This was a huge loss for us in the league and on the NCAA clipboard, no doubt about it," Emery said. "But again, we have to want it. We have to want it real bad."

Plattsburgh travels to Geneseo tonight.

Cody tied Friday's game at 2-2 in the middle of the second period, and Panepinto put the Golden Eagles ahead with 2:58 left in the third. Brendon Rothfuss and Mike Hollander assisted on the winner. Cody added an empty-net goal.

"It's no secret we don't have a lot of good scorers. We can't score. So we gotta play good defense," Emery said. "We lost a crucial faceoff on their first goal. The second goal we had bad D-zone coverage on a delayed penalty, and the third goal was another bad D-zone coverage."

Oliver Wren made 37 saves for Brockport, and Mathieu Cadieux had 22 for Plattsburgh.

Kyle Taylor gave the Cardinals a lead 3:48 into the game on a power play, but Cody answered 59 seconds later. Kyle Kudroch scored at 9:23 to send the Cardinals into the intermission with a 2-1 lead.

Taylor and Kudroch both finished with two points.

"We'll see if we get the leadership to bounce back," Emery said. "You think Geneseo's not going to be pumped up to play us? Never mind that they have confidence now that they've seen Brockport beat us.

"We'll see what we're made out of."


Source: http://pressrepublican.com/0300_sports/x1391759943/Brockport-stuns-Plattsburgh-State


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