CODY GETS HONORABLE MENTION ON SUNYAC TEAM

The SUNYAC announced it's all-conference team today. Brockport's James Cody made the honorable mention list on the merits of his strong season, one that saw him score 16 goals.

I was surprised he didn't make the 1st or 2nd team...not only is he the most exciting player in the conference, but his 16 goals were second amongst SUNYAC players. Jordan Oye of Fredonia bested him by only one.

Regardless, honorable mention is a great accomplishment in what is the toughest conference in all of collegiate hockey. Congrats, James, on being among the best in the nation!


Here's the official list:


2010-11 SUNYAC Ice Hockey All-Conference Teams

First Team

Name School Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown
Jordan Oye Fredonia F Sr. 5-11 170 Richmond, BC
Ian Boots Oswego F Jr. 5-10 180 Akwesasne, NY
Eric Satim Plattsburgh F Sr. 5-9 170 Montreal, QUE
Steve Rizer Fredonia D Sr. 5-10 175 Smithtown, NY
Danny Scagnelli Geneseo D Jr. 5-10 175 College Point, NY
Kevin Carr Buffalo State G Fr. 6-1 170 Unionville, ONT

Second Team
Name School Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown
Nick Petriello Buffalo State F Sr. 5-10 200 St. Catharines, ONT
Bryan Ross Fredonia F Jr. 5-10 175 Livonia, MI
Dylan Clarke Plattsburgh F Sr. 6-1 175 Belleville, ONT
Steve Mallaro Oswego D Sr. 6-2 185 Syracuse, NY
Mike Grace Plattsburgh D So. 6-0 170 Rochester, NY
Paul Beckwith Oswego G Jr. 5-11 185 Cleveland, OH

Honorable Mention
Name School Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown
James Cody Brockport F Jr. 6-2 205 Schwenksville, PA
Jonathan Redlick Geneseo F Jr. 6-1 195 Biggar, SAS
Justin Fox Oswego F Sr. 6-0 190 Whitby, ONT
James Jarvis Morrisville D Fr. 6-1 185 Pickering, ONT
Kevin Huinink Oswego D Sr. 5-10 180 Whitby, ONT
Adrian Rubeniuk Geneseo G So. 5-11 200 Grandview, MB

STYLUS REPORT ON LAST WEEKEND OF PLAY

A bitter end to a forgettable season
Brockport hockey ends the season by missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007

By Andy Lipari

For the first time in three years, Brockport's hockey season will finish with the end of the regular season. After back-to-back seasons with a playoff victory, the Golden Eagles took a leap back this year when expectations were the highest the program has ever had. Young players getting used to college hockey caused a slow start to Brockport's season, and put them in a hole they couldn't dig themselves out of.

In a two-day stretch that featured back-to-back conference road games, Brockport (2-13-1 SUNYAC, 4-18-3 overall) ran into tough competition, but showed up to play in both games.

They were defeated by Oswego - the No. 1 ranked team according to the United States College Hockey Organization - 7-1 on Friday, Feb. 18 and lost 5-3 to Cortland on Saturday, Feb. 19.

Brockport took the early lead against Oswego. Brendon Rothfuss found the back of the net two minutes into the game. But Oswego controlled the game from that point on.

Laker's leading scorer Ian Boots answered on the power play. Matt Singleton and Paul Rodrigues also scored for the Lakers in the first period.

Rodrigues scored again in the second. Owen Kelly, Laganiere and Boots all scored for the Lakers in the third period to push the score even further in their favor.

Joe Reagan had 45 saves in goal for Brockport in his final game of the season, and Paul Beckwith had an easy night with 18 saves for Oswego.

In the season finale at Cortland, Brockport took the lead first again. Ian Finnerty scored six minutes into the first period, but Joey Christiano and Jarrett Gold answered for Cortland in the first. Christiano and Gold also scored the two Cortland goals in the first meeting between these two teams.

Ryan Markell started the scoring in the second period for the Red Dragons. Brockport's Matt DeLuca scored his third goal of the season to cut Cortland's lead, 3-2.

But, less than two minutes later, Joel Zangara put the puck in the net for Cortland for a 4-2 lead.

Cortland and Brockport traded goals in the third period. Cortland's Jake Saville scored with six minutes left to give Cortland a 5-3 lead. With three minutes left, Brockport senior Tom Galiani scored on a penalty shot in his final game as a Golden Eagle.

Oliver Wren stopped 31 shots for Brockport in his final start of the season, and Dan Jewell had 40 saves for Cortland.

Looking back at Brockport hockey

2008-2009: 7-9 SUNYAC, 14-13 overall
• After a 3-1 home win against Potsdam, Brockport lost in the SUNYAC semifinals. The Eagles went down 7-2 against Plattsburgh.

2009-2010: 7-9 SUNYAC, 14-13 overall
• History repeats itself. The Eagles defeated SUNY Potsdam, 3-0, in another opening-round SUNYAC tournament home game. But a 2-5 loss to Plattsburgh kept Brockport from making the finals yet, again.

2010-2011: 2-13-1 SUNYAC, 4-18-3 overall
• Brockport started the season 0-10-1 until they won their first game on Dec. 4. The team looks to regroup and improve in the offseason and hopes to make a playoff run next season.

Source: http://media.www.thestylus.net/media/storage/paper1380/news/2011/02/23/Sports/A.Bitter.End.To.A.Forgettable.Season-3979544.shtml

BROCKPORT LOSES FINAL GAME OF 2010-2011 CAMPAIGN

The Athletic Department reports on last night's game...


Senior Tom Galiani (Lindenhurst, NY) scored on a penalty shot late in the third period to cut the Cortland lead to 5-3 but despite increased offensive pressure for the remainder of the game, The College at Brockport Hockey team was unable to score down the stretch and dropped the season finale to the Red Dragons Saturday night in Cortland.

Cortland took a 2-1 lead in the first period after Brockport opened the scoring with an Ian Finnerty (Ardmore, PA) goal on a rebound early in the period.

The first intermission was extended nearly 45 minutes due to a pipe malfunction at the rink that caused hot water damage to the ice surface and when play finally resumed for the second period, Cortland extended the lead to 4-2 with two more goals in the second stanza.

Brockport's lone goal in the period was a shot by Matt DeLuca (Skippack, PA) with assists to Mike Baxter (Bracebridge, ONT) and Brett Jendra (Bolingbrook, IL).

In the third period, Cortland extended the lead but late in the period, Brockport made things interesting with Galiani's penalty shot goal and played with an empty net for a majority of the final two minutes to try to even the score.

Brockport won the shots battle with 43 compared to Cortland's 36.

LISTEN TO TONIGHT'S GAME

There are some power outages throughout campus, which is preventing WBSU from broadcasting. Hardcore hockey fans can still listen to the game online via Cortland's coverage. Go here: http://radio.securenetsystems.net/radio_player_large.cfm?stationCallSign=RDR1

HOCKEY FALLS TO #1 OSWEGO

The Athletic Department offers this recap of last night's game...


Facing Oswego, the No. 1 hockey team in the East Region, freshman Brendon Rothfuss (Webster, NY) staked The College at Brockport to an early 1-0 lead, but the Golden Eagles couldn't hang on and fell 7-1 Friday night inside Oswego's Campus Center Ice Arena.

Rothfuss scored his fifth goal of the year just 2:43 into the game for the Golden Eagles (4-17-3 overall, 2-12-1 SUNYAC). Oswego turned the puck over deep in its zone twice, and after freshmen Bobby Conner (Lititz, PA) and Sean Wallace (Rochester, NY) each took turns with the puck, Rothfuss got the puck all alone in front of the goal and converted for a 1-0 lead.

Freshman Joe Reagan (Yonkers, NY) and Brockport's defense did a solid job limiting Oswego (21-3, 14-1) to just one shot on goal through the first 11:30.

The Lakers, ranked No. 1 among Division III schools in the East Region by the NCAA, finally broke through on a power-play goal with 8:22 remaining in the period, and Oswego struck again two minutes later with another power-play goal for a 2-1 lead. The Lakers got their third goal of the period in a span of just 4:15.

After the third goal, junior James Cody (Schwenksville, PA) fired a shot from the slot, but his shot was saved by Paul Beckwith, Oswego's stellar goalie, and the Lakers took a 3-1 lead into the second period.

Brockport played Oswego scoreless for the first 16:06 of the second before sophomore Paul Rodrigues scored his second goal of the game to extend the lead to 4-1.

Cody had another good look on goal early in the third period, when he skated in on Beckwith, but the puck slid off his stick and went wide of the net. Oswego scored three more goals during a six-minute span of the third to finish off the scoring.

Reagan finished with 45 saves, including a pair of short-handed breakaway opportunities, for the Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles wrap up the 2010-11 season with a 7 p.m. faceoff Saturday night at Cortland.

Box score: http://www.collegehockeystats.net/1011/boxes/mbrcosw1.f18

CODY AMONG NATION'S BEST

Gary Ethemis penned this article about James Cody for the Brockport Athletic Department's website...


In the last two years, The College at Brockport's ice hockey has hosted and won the first two State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) postseason playoff games in school history, and has won more games in consecutive years than any other squad in the program's 38-year history.

While the current Golden Eagles (4-16-3 overall, 2-11-1 SUNYAC) have hit a rough spot this year following the successes of the previous two seasons, one bright spot has been the continued solid play of junior forward James Cody (Schwenksville, PA/Philly Little Flyers).

It's no coincidence that Cody's arrival on campus has helped key this recent success. Cody, who averaged a point per game in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League with the Philly Little Flyers, has been a force since arriving in Brockport.

During the 2010-11 season, Cody has elevated his game to new heights, and at one point, he ranked third in the country in goals scored, and was in the top 10 for points.

With two games remaining in the season, Cody currently has 30 points, with 16 goals and 14 assists.

“We knew he would be a pretty good player for us but quite frankly didn't know where he would fit,” said Brian Dickinson, head coach of the Golden Eagles. “The big thing for kids coming out of juniors is to respect the Division III level… James knew what the level would be and he really fought from day one to earn a spot.”

Cody scored 11 goals with 13 assists during his freshman season, narrowly edging out teammate Sean O'Malley by two points to become the first freshman to lead Brockport in points since at least the 1999-2000 season.

“It was incredible,” said Cody. “I just try and do my best with everything I do and succeed at the end.”

Thanks to Cody's offensive firepower, the Golden Eagles hosted their first-ever SUNYAC postseason game Cody's freshman year.

During an eventual 3-1 win over the Potsdam Bears, Cody showed he could score when it counted the most. In the second period, Cody knocked home the eventual game-winner, and later added an insurance goal as Brockport advanced into the SUNYAC semifinals. Facing the always-tough Plattsburgh Cardinals, Cody added a goal during the 7-2 loss.

Cody's second season with the Green and Gold proved to be another dandy, as he once again lead the team in scoring with 14 goals, 14 assists and 28 points. Brockport once again hosted a SUNYAC playoff game, and once again Potsdam was the opponent.

Fresh off the regular-season success, Cody scored two goals in the playoffs as Brockport sent Potsdam packing with a 3-0 shutout win. While Brockport fell to Plattsburgh 5-2 in the SUNYAC semis, Cody once again notched a goal for the Golden Eagles, further showing how he elevates his play in the big games.

Cody's success can be attributed to the hard working, blue-collar effort he puts into every game. His hard-nosed style has earned the respect of opposing players and coaches.

“He's such a big, strong force out there,” said Dominick Dawes, Neumann University's head coach, of Cody, who scored a goal and added an assist during a 5-3 loss on Dec. 11, 2010.

“He gets what gets out of hard work. He gets in there, gets involved, finishes his checks and for his team, I think it's a great example to set.”

The success this year can be traced to the summer, when Cody played on the same line in a summer league with former junior hockey linemates Ian Finnerty (Ardmore, PA) and Bobby Conner (Lititz, PA).

“It was a good time. Conner is an absolutely amazing passer,” said Cody. “He (Coach Dickinson) put us together for two weeks to see how it went, and it went pretty good.”

Brockport's offense, led by Cody, Finnerty, and senior Tom Galiani (Lindenhurst, NY) has flourished at times this year, and the trio lead the team in points with 29, 22, and 16 points respectively.

“Having the bond that (Galiani) has with those two is going to be hard to replace,” said Dickinson. “That threesome, from the time we put them together until today, they just know where each other's going to be on the ice.”

Cody's success on the ice has landed him national recognition and a spot among the elite goal scorers in all of Division III. Cody currently is 15th in the country in points per game (1.50) with two games remaining.

“I work hard every single game,” said Cody. “It doesn't matter if our team is doing bad or good. I'm still trying hard, trying to be the best that I can be.”

Cody also applies that “best he can be” attitude off the ice, as he tries to set a positive example for Brockport's other players.

When Cody was forced to sit out Brockport's games against Buffalo State and Fredonia after drawing a two-game suspension for a hit against a Morrisville player during the Jan. 28 contest, he didn't let that stop him from helping the team.

“(He's a) Very level-headed hockey player,” said Dickinson. “He was in our locker room in between periods offering advice and talking to us as coaches about what he saw in the stands as far as what our opponents were doing, so he knows the game extremely well.”

Upon his return to the team, Cody picked up where he left off, scoring a short-handed goal as Brockport knocked off sixth-ranked Geneseo 3-2 on Feb. 11.

The work ethic, dedication and pure skill that Cody possesses will continue to be an invaluable asset to the Brockport Golden Eagles program.

So why does he work so hard, especially this year, when the team's win-loss record hasn't lived up to the Golden Eagles' expectations?

“I love playing in front of the fans,” said Cody.

CHRIS BERARDINI IS BROCKPORT ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Senior forward Chris Berardini (Batavia, NY) netted the eventual game-winning goal as The College at Brockport's hockey team knocked off No. 6 Geneseo 3-2 Friday night. Berardini, who scored the second goal of the year, is Brockport's Male Athlete of the Week.

Berardini received a feed from fellow senior Ray Tremblay (Peachland, B.C.) with 10:20 left in the period and buried the shot to stake Brockport to the 3-2 lead, and the Green and Gold defense made the lead stand. Geneseo entered the game ranked sixth in the latest United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III poll.

It was the first-ever game-winning goal at the collegiate level for Berardini, who has been playing with a heavy heart since the death of his step-mother in late January.

BROCKPORT BEATS 6th RANKED GENESEO!

Senior Chris Berardini (Batavia, NY) scored on a pass from fellow senior Ray Tremblay (Peachland, BC) midway through the third period to give The College at Brockport Hockey team a 3-2 lead and the Golden Eagles held on late in the game to preserve a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) victory over Geneseo Friday night in Geneseo. The Knights entered the game as the No. 6 ranked team in the country according to the latest United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III poll.

Brockport (4-16-3 Overall, 2-11-1 SUNYAC) fell behind in the first period when Geneseo netted a power play goal 6:46 into the contest but evened the score very early in the second period when senior captain Justin Noble (Georgetown, ONT) netted an unassisted goal to make the score 1-1.

Late in the period, James Cody (Schwenksville, PA) gave Brockport a 2-1 lead on a short-handed goal with 3:12 left to play in the period.

Geneseo (15-6-2, 9-4-1) tied up the score again early in the third period but with 10:20 left in the period, Berardini scored the go-ahead goal.

In the closing minutes, Geneseo applied pressure on the Brockport goal but junior Oliver Wren (Oakville, ONT) made several key saves to preserve the victory. Wren finished with 41 saves as Geneseo outshot Brockport by a 43-28 margin.

CAM NOBLE'S VIDEO MONTAGE OF THE SEASON

BROCKPORT TRAVELS TO GENESEO ON FRIDAY

Brockport plays but one game this weekend, traveling to Geneseo on Friday. No doubt it will be another fiercely played game against these regional foes.

When last they played in November, Geneseo beat Brockport 3-2, the Ice Knights’ Jonathan Redlick breaking a tie with just under 5 minutes left in the game. If you remember this exciting match-up, James Cody nearly tied it with seconds to go, ringing one off the pipes. That last 2 minutes was utter chaotic and utterly entertaining.

Geneseo has had an awesome season. They are ranked 6th in the country in the latest USCHO poll and are 15-5-2 overall while sporting a 9-3-1 SUNYAC record. They are 7-2 in the second semester, losing close games to Plattsburgh and Elmira, two perennial powerhouses.

Their strengths come from the ability to score goals and stop goals…their forwards are really impressive while their goaltending crew is the very best – and deepest - in the conference.

Freshman Zack Vit has been a revelation. The young man has 30 points on the season and has lit the lamp on 10 occasions. So has another freshman, Rich Manley (who has 21 points). These 2 kids will terrorize the SUNYAC for 3 more years. That’s scary! The aforementioned Redlick has 25 points while 6 others have 10 or more.

They have 3 great goaltenders, led by Cory Gershon (.925) and Adrian Rubeniuk (.922). Benchwarmer Mike Battaglia sports a jaw-dropping .949. Cory will probably get the start against Brockport and he’s a high-energy, reflex guy. The best way to beat him is by feasting on rebounds, his sole weakness. No matter who is in goal, the Golden Eagles have their work cut out for them.

The game can be watched at www.FastHockey.com. There will NOT be WBSU coverage.

STYLUS RECAP OF FINAL HOME SERIES OF SEASON

Hockey bested at home
Andy Lipari

It didn't take long for fans to notice that James Cody wasn't on the ice this weekend. The team's leading scorer was suspended for two games after a hit on Morrisville's Geoff Matzel on Jan. 28.

Brockport could have used Cody - who has 15 goals this season - at the Tuttle North Ice Arena, as the team fell to Buffalo State 4-1 Friday, Feb. 4 and skated to a 2-2 tie with Fredonia on Feb. 5.

Not only did Brockport miss Cody's scoring, but the team missed his physical presence on the ice as well. Brockport Head Coach Brian Dickinson said Cody's hit was clean and the suspension came as a surprise.

"It's been a stressful couple of days because instead of focusing on what we needed to focus on, we were focused with what was going to happen with Cody," Dickinson said. "When you don't see it coming, which our guys didn't, it disrupts our whole week."

The loss to Bufalo State came at a time when Brockport needed to win out and have all the help in the world in order to make the playoffs. Trevor McKinney scored 24 seconds into the game, which put the Golden Eagles in a quick hole.

Coach Dickinson was less than pleased about the effort his team gave on Friday.

"The coaching staff was disappointed with the effort through the first two periods," he said. "That sense of urgency that should have been there, wasn't."

Mac Balson and Mike Connolly scored for Buffalo State in the second period to make it 3-0. Sean Wallace scored his first goal for Brockport in the third before McKinney added an empty netter.

Oliver Wren had a solid game in goal making 25 saves for Brockport.

Senior night against Fredonia was a total turnaround from the game on Friday. A more energetic team was able to snag a point Saturday.

The play of goaltender Joe Reagan was the story of this game. He stopped 47 shots in 65 minutes of play in the best goalie performance of Brockport's season. Dickinson said without Reagan's play, the team probably wouldn't have gotten a point.

However, two points were there for Brockport until late. Brockport led 2-1 late in the third period, when Fredonia's Bryan Ross, who scored both Fredonia goals, was left open in the slot and found the back of the net with 2:02 left. Brockport had two power plays in the last six minutes of the game, but couldn't convert either into a goal.

Saturday was the final home game for six Brockport seniors: Tom Galiani, Ray Tremblay, Nick Sampson, Chris Berardini, Jeremy Rossignolo and the captain of the hockey team, Justin Noble. The senior class has been an intricate part of the rise in Brockport hockey over the last two seasons.

"We got six guys that have given everything they have for this program during the last four years," Dickinson said. "We wanted to go out and play for those guys tonight."

Brockport has three games remaining, of which are all on the road. Next week they will be at Geneseo and the following week they travel to Oswego and Cortland for their last two games of the regular season.

Source:

http://media.www.thestylus.net/media/storage/paper1380/news/2011/02/09/Sports/Hockey.Bested.At.Home-3974783.shtml

SUNYAC SITE GETS FACELIFT

The SUNYAC website just received a much-needed facelift. Check out the attractive site at:

http://www.sunyac.com/index.aspx?path=mhockey

THANK YOU TO THE SENIORS

Last night was Senior Night, the last game of the home season when the graduating class is recognized by the College for their contributions to the team.

I'd like to share my thanks with them as well.

You are a great group of young men who have given me, the campus and the community many, many great hockey memories, including what was the best two-season stretch in program history. As someone who's been around for 18 seasons and will be for many more, I will always cherish those 2 seasons...they were something special and magical.

You have introduced excitement into the program and brought countless new fans -- young and old -- to the games. It's a new fan base that should be here for quite some time.

You have always impressed me with your drive to play the game hard and fairly, the way it is supposed to be played. If that character is any reflection about how you approach your studies and work you will do quite well in your life after graduation.

"Thank you" to...

Justin Noble
Ray Tremblay
Tom Galiani
Chris Berardini
Nick Sampson
Jeremy Rossignolo

BROCKPORT TIES FREDONIA 2-2

I ususally miss one or no home games each season. I thought for sure I'd see them all this year. That is, until the weather changed for the worse just before game time, the heavy snow and sleet making for a really unattractive commute. It looks like I missed one heckuva game.

Here's what the Athletic Department reports....

It wasn't a win, but The College at Brockport's ice hockey team battled hard on Senior Night and earned a 2-2 overtime tie against Fredonia Saturday night inside the Tuttle North Ice Arena.

Nearly three months after dropping a 7-0 road game to Fredonia, the Golden Eagles (3-16-3 overall, 1-11-1 SUNYAC) earned some measure of atonement, taking leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before Fredonia (10-11-1, 5-7-1) notched the tying goal with 2:02 remaining.

Freshman Joe Reagan (Yonkers, NY) stopped 47 of the 49 Blue Devil shots, including several point-blank looks in the third period.

Freshman Brendon Rothfuss (Webster, NY) staked the Golden Eagles to a 1-0 lead 11:26 into the first period. Seniors Ray Tremblay (Peachland, BC) and Justin Noble (Georgetown, ONT) each had their turn with the puck before Rothfuss got at the point. Rothfuss rifled a one-timer from the point for his fourth goal of the year.

Fredonia tied the score four minutes later, and the score remained tied until freshman Sean Wallace (Rochester, NY) scored his second goal in as many games.

Freshman Mike Baxter (Bracebridge, ONT) and sophomore Nick Panepinto (Tonawanda, NY) had the puck in close before it squirted out to Wallace. Wallace skated in several steps from the blue line and fired a shot from inside the left circle that sailed in with 15:19 remaining in the second.

Neither team would score again until Fredonia tied it up late. Brockport had two power-plays down the stretch, but couldn't find the winner.

It was the final home game for six Brockport seniors: Tremblay, Noble, Tom Galiani (Lindenhurst, NY), Chris Berardini (Batavia, NY), Nick Sampson (Mississagua, NY) and Jeremy Rossignolo (Rochester, NY). Berardini, Noble and Sampson were four-year members of Brockport's varsity.

“Without Joe Reagan's play, we don't get a point tonight,” said Brian Dickinson, Brockport's head coach.

“Our D did a fantastic job of getting sticks up in front of the net and not allowing those second and third chances that we gave up Friday night. … We challenged our guys (before the game, saying) 'We have six guys who have given everything they have to this program for up to four years, let's go out there and play for those guys' and I thought that if we out-worked them, we'd be in a position to steal the game.”

The Golden Eagles finish the 2010-11 season with three road games, starting with a 7 p.m. game against Geneseo Feb. 11.


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Box score: http://www.collegehockeystats.net/1011/boxes/mbrcfre1.f05

BROCKPORT FALLS TO BUFF STATE 4-1

The Athletic Department's recap of Friday's game....

Freshman Sean Wallace (Rochester, NY) scored his first collegiate goal, but The College at Brockport's ice hockey team dropped a 4-1 contest to Buffalo State Friday night at Brockport's Tuttle North Ice Arena.

Buffalo State scored just 26 seconds into the game, but junior Oliver Wren (Oakville, ONT) made 10 first-period saves, and the score remained 1-0 through the end of the first.

The Bengals (9-9-3, 5-4-3 SUNYAC) added their second goal just 2:02 into the second period, and pushed the lead to 3-0 with 6:46 left in the second.

Wallace, a defenseman, pulled the Golden Eagles (3-16-2 overall, 1-11 SUNYAC) within 3-1 with 8:34 remaining in the third. Wallace received a pass from sophomore Nick Panepinto (Tonawanda, NY) and pushed his shot into the far side of the net for his first goal at Brockport.

Despite several good looks on goal after Wallace's goal, Brockport couldn't put one past Buffalo State goalie Kevin Carr (25 saves). The Bengals finished the scoring with an empty-net goal with two seconds left.

"Wallace had a strong game and he scored his first collegiate goal, so that was special," said Brian Dickinson, Brockport's head coach.

"He's a smart player and he's only getting stronger as the year goes on. ... We had the better of them (Buffalo State) in the third period, we just couldn't convert our chances. Our (Adam) Shoff, (Justin) Noble and (Brendon) Rothfuss line started to come around tonight, but still, it was too little, too late for us."

Wren finished with 25 saves for Brockport, which concludes the home portion of the regular season at 7 p.m. Saturday night when Fredonia comes to Tuttle North for Brockport's Senior Night.

LAST 2 HOME GAMES OF SEASON

I ran out of time this week so I find myself unable to give my weekly scouting reports. But there are 2 home games this weekend. Sadly, they are the last ones of the season.

On Friday the Golden Eagles host Buffalo State. On Saturday, Fredonia comes into town for Senior Night.

Both games start at 7:00 and both will be broadcast on WBSU and www.fasthockey.com

MORRISVILLE PARTICIPATES IN SAVES FOR A CURE

We all might be a little mad at Morrisville right now, but remember that hockey is a brotherhood. It's the rare sport where you can beat the tar out of someone in the arena, but outside of it call one another friends and work for common causes.

Among those causes is Saves For a Cure.

Morrisville has shown class in supporting the organization and is hosting their own Saves For a Cure game tomorrow, complete with a jersey auction. Here's the auction page:

http://athletics.morrisville.edu/jerseyauction.aspx

Here's a blurb from this week's SUNYAC report at USCHO.com...

It’s the third installment of Todd Sheridan’s Saves for a Cure tour. Like Oswego and Brockport, Morrisville will be wearing special uniforms to be auctioned off.

“Todd Sheridan has done a great job with his Saves for a Cure,” Grady said. “He and [our goaltender] Caylin Relkoff are very good friends. He brought the idea to Caylin over the summer, and I said sure. He was looking to expand his efforts. We’re happy to be involved with it, and glad we can help out.”


Here's a hearty "thank you" to the Mustangs!

SAVES FOR A CURE'S HUGE WEEKEND

The Athletic Department offers this report on Saves For a Cure's success....


The College at Brockport and the Brockport community banded together to raise more than $4,270 to help fight childhood cancer through the annual Saves for a Cure weekend.

Saves for a Cure is a non-profit, charitable organization started by Todd Sheridan (Edison, NJ), a former Brockport ice hockey goalie and current assistant ice hockey coach who was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma in both his tongue and his neck when he was just 20 years old.

During the third annual Saves for a Cure game, held Saturday night inside Tuttle North Ice Arena, Brockport and Neumann University skated to a 2-2 tie. The Golden Eagles sported special green Saves for a Cure jerseys, which were auctioned off to collect additional funds for the battle against childhood cancer. The auction of those jerseys helped raise $2,385, the largest fundraising portion of Saves for a Cure weekend.

As an additional means of raising money, Sheridan, Brockport's all-time leader in goals-against average (3.07), career wins (29) and saves percentage (.904), laced up his skates and assumed his natural position in goal during the new Shoot for a Cure event. For $10, fans could take their best shot at scoring a goal on Sheridan, with all the money going to Saves for a Cure. Sheridan said $410 was collected through the Shoot for a Cure.

A day after the game, Brockport’s Recreation Services, with help from Sheridan, ran a pasta dinner at Flash’s Tavern helped collect more than $1,400 for Sheridan’s charitable organization, which donates 100 percent of all money collected back to aid children in their battle against cancer.

With both Morrisville and Oswego joining Brockport in the Saves for a Cure campaign, Sheridan said more than $10,000 is expected to be raised during this year’s Saves for a Cure mission.

“The support from the community and members of school blew me away,” Sheridan said. “It was a great experience and I think everyone who attended enjoyed it. Everyone involved with the Shoot for a Cure event loved it. I'm still a little sore, but it was well worth it. The weekend’s events ran perfectly.”

Through the three-year history of Saves for a Cure, more than $17,000 has been collected.

JAMES CODY SUSPENDED

As you know, last week James Cody hit a Morrisville player who was subsequently knocked out and required a visit to the hospital.

As you also know...it was a clean hit. 1,000 people in attendance at the game saw it as that...and so did the officiating crew. He was not penalized by them! But, the Mustangs found it necessary to protest the hit and the NCAA has come down on James Cody with a two-game suspension that has him sitting for the last 2 games home games of the season.

That's a bummer for the fans. James is having a season to remember and this would have been the last weekend the home fans could have seen him, this year, not to mention the very last time they could have witnessed the exciting Cody-Finnerty-Galiani line (Galiani graduates this May).

Worse yet, it's a bummer for James. He has the chance to lead the nation in goals this year and without those 2 games, that odds are really against him.

If you know James you know that he's the ultimate competitor but, above all, a clean one. James never plays dirty. Look at the penalty minutes, they tell the tale. This season he has 16. Last season he had 39. In his freshman year he had 19. Yet, he's known as the hardest hitter in the SUNYAC. At all levels of hockey from juniors to the NHL the hardest hitters are usually the most-penalized because they hit outside of the confines of the rules. They're goons. James doesn't get penalized. He's not a goon. He's a high-skill player who plays hard and plays to win. He's a guy you want on your team. He plays by the rules. And that's what makes this suspension so frustrating. If James deserved it I would say "do it". But he doesn't.

What further upsets me is the injured player. The picture you see below is the default picture on his Facebook page.

Who in God's name posts onto a social networking site a picture of themselves on a stretcher? What hockey player complains about a hit yet shares the photo of the aftermath with glee, like it's something cute and funny?

He's disrespecting the game, something the NCAA thinks James did.

If it's so serious of a situation, why allow the injured to make a mockery of it?

To think, I took offense when signs were up in the 3rd period of last week's game picking on him for his height. And, I spent all Friday night worrying about the kid. I respected him. The advertising of his "injury" and the subsequent suspension of Mr. Cody have certainly taken away that respect. I would love to see James' suspension protested and ultimately eliminated. It's the best thing for all involved.

STYLUS RECAP OF PAST WEEKEND

Hockey team splits weekend games
Andy Lipari

Entering the second semester, the Brockport hockey team looked poised to make a run into the playoffs for the third straight season. But, after three straight conference losses, their playoff chances are fading away.

Brockport fell to Potsdam 7-3 on Jan. 21 and lost 4-2 at Plattsburgh on Jan. 22. The team returned home last Friday, Jan. 28 to face off against an improved Morrisville squad.

The Golden Eagles fell to Morrisville 8-6 in a strange game that had everything a hockey game could have.

The first period ended 0-0, but the exciting period of hockey had a somber moment. Morrisville forward Geoff Matzel was knocked to the ice following a shot, and laid on the ice for several minutes before leaving on a stretcher. The Brockport trainers said Matzel was knocked out but regained consciousness.

The long, dragged out, yet eventual second period had seven goals and 17 total penalties. Adam Shoff scored his fifth goal of the season for Brockport and Taylor Vince tied it up for Morrisville. Ian Finnerty was given a game misconduct after arguing a roughing call.

Morrisville led 2-1 with seven minutes left in the second period when the wheels came off for the Golden Eagles. Brockport defenseman Mike Hayward was also given a game misconduct for a spearing penalty, plus a five-minute major penalty. Morrisville found the back of the net three times in the ensuing power play to take a 5-1 lead.

"When you're on a five-minute power play, you either rev it up and score multiple times or you get nothing," said Brockport Head Coach Brian Dickinson. "We got into that rut where guys were looking to go, instead of dumping the puck out. It was a whole slew of mistakes that were made one right after another."

Brockport junior Brett Jendra, who scored his first goal of the season against Morrisville, said his team didn't have enough discipline in the second period.

"The game started to get chippy and they were getting most of the calls," Jendra said. "After Hayward took that penalty, Morrisville took all the momentum and it put us in a hole we couldn't get out of.

Down 5-2 in the third, Brockport scored four goals in the period, but Morrisville scored three of their own. Brockport was able to cut the lead down to 7-5 before Curtis Renaud scored the last goal for Morrisville.

On Saturday, Jan. 29, Brockport skated to a 2-2 tie in a non-conference game against Neumann University, in the third annual, "Saves For A Cure" game. The team wore green "Saves For A Cure" jerseys that were auctioned off to benefit the foundation, started by former Brockport goalie, Todd Sheridan. The proceeds support children going through cancer treatment at Golisano Children's Hospital

This season, Oswego and Morrisville will both be hosting their own "Saves For A Cure" game in support of the foundation.

Source:

http://media.www.thestylus.net/media/storage/paper1380/news/2011/02/03/Sports/Hockey.Team.Splits.Weekend.Games-3972523.shtml