BROCKPORT RECRUIT OVERCOMES 2 BROKEN ANKLES

One of Brockport's newest recruits Jake Taylor was featured in the Durham Region press this weekend.

The young man has faced some serious adversity this past season...


He's spent more time on crutches than he has on skates, but somehow, Jake Taylor has been able to fulfill a childhood dream.

Not only was the Port Perry resident bitten by the injury bug this season, it broke him. Twice. Both ankles some four months apart.


According to the article, this had him second-guessing his future...


Heading into the season, Taylor didn't have a commitment from an NCAA school. Sitting at home on the couch nursing a broken ankle, and then doing the same for the other one just a few months later, wasn't helping.

"That definitely crossed my mind," he says. "Especially after the second time. I was pretty upset about it. The first one I thought was bad luck, but the second one really took a toll on me. I thought if a team wants me, I've been in the league for five years, they had their chance.


But, enter Coach Dickinson and friends...


Brockport had shown a lot of interest last season, stayed in touch through the injuries this season, and showed a sense of loyalty that impressed Taylor. When he went on a visit to the campus this season, he decided to sign on.

"When I went down I really liked it. I liked the area and the coaching staff.

"I liked that the head coach (Brian Dickinson) came down last year and watched me play, not just a scout who may not have a say when I get there. I feel like I'm going to a school that wants me there and has high expectations for me."



You can read the article in its entirety here:

http://www.durhamregion.com/sports/article/1583826--port-perry-s-jake-taylor-gets-scholarship-from-the-college-at-brockport



Some folks might see this as gamble or a bad move by Coach.

Is it?

Look at two "reclamation projects" that he had in recent years:

Ray Tremblay had a bad back injury that would have ended most careers. Ray became an assistant captain for the Golden Eagles and was instrumental in getting the team into the playoffs 2 years running.

Then, there was Todd Sheridan. Everyone else passed on the goaltender because of fears that he was damaged goods after battling cancer. Todd, of course, when on to become a record-setting goalie and he had one of the most storied collegiate careers of any Brockport hockey player.

Let's hope Jake turns out to be another success story like those gentlemen. He might just do that --- Dickinson certainly has an eye for the talent and character to make that work. 

HAYWARD LIVING THE DREAM

Mississippi RiverKings Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Derek Landmesser announced Friday that the team has signed defenseman Mike Hayward to a contract. Terms and conditions were not released.

Hayward, 24, was a teammate of current RiverKings' rookie Ian Finnerty during his time at SUNY Brockport. The 6'0", 200 lbs. native of Toronto, Ont. appeared in 24 games with the Golden Eagles last season, recording 14 points (6G, 8A).

Hayward made his professional debut Friday night as the RiverKings took on the Fayetteville FireAntz.

ALUMNUS GERSHON DOING WELL AS PORT HURON LEADER

Mike Gershon was a hard-hitting All-SUNYAC defenseman for the Golden Eagles during the playoff years. It's good to see he is doing well as General Manager and Coach of the Port Huron Fighting Falcons of the NAHL.

An article that ran in this week's Times Herald looks at how he has keenly positioned his team for the playoffs with some wise trades.

Read the report here:   http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20130219/SPORTS/302190020/

SPOONER: BROCKPORT ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Colby Spooner (Hilton, NY/Aquinas Institute) is the College at Brockport's Male Athlete of the week. Spooner scored his first three goals of the season and has been named The College at Brockport Male Athlete of the Week. In Friday night’s fifth annual Saves For a Cure game, Spooner scored his first goal of the season with a first period score against Morrisville. The Golden Eagles went on to win their final State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) contest of the year 4-2. In Spooner’s final game of his Brockport career, the senior scored two goals against Franklin Pierce as the Golden Eagles dropped the Ravens 6-2. Spooner scored the game’s first goal just 55 seconds into the contest. The senior finished off the Brockport scoring with a third period goal at the 10:50 mark. Spooner finished his Brockport career with 12 points on seven goals and five assists.

BROCKPORT CLOSES OUT SEASON WITH 6-2 VICTORY

The Athletic Department recaps Saturday's season finale...

Senior Colby Spooner (Hilton, NY/Aquinas) and freshman Chase Nieuwendyk (Georgetown, ONT/Trenton Golden Hawks) scored two goals each to lead The College at Brockport Hockey team to a 6-2 victory over Franklin Pierce University Saturday night in the season finale at the Tuttle North Arena in Brockport.

Brockport (7-16-2) needed a win or a tie by Cortland against Potsdam to qualify for the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament but the Bears posted a 2-1 victory which dropped the Golden Eagles out of the playoff bracket.

The Golden Eagles started quickly against Franklin Pierce (8-11-3) as Spooner scored 55 seconds into the contest on the first shift of the game as the senior , along with classmate Mike Hayward (Toronto, ONT/Vaughan Vipers) were both in the starting lineup for the Golden Eagles. Spooner was assisted on the goal by Troy Polino (Limerick, PA/New York Bobcats) and Michael Zagari (McKees Rocks, PA/Jamestown Ironmen).

The Ravens answered at the 14:36 mark of the first period to even the score at 1-1 but Nieuwendyk scored the first of his two goals one minute later to regain the lead for Brockport. Polino assisted on the goal to pick up his second point of the game.

Late in the first period, Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY/New York Bobcats) made it a 3-1 Brockport lead scoring with 3:11 left in the opening period.

In the second period, freshman defenseman Chad Cummings (Caledon, ONT/Wellington Dukes) scored his first goal of the season for a 4-1 lead and Nieuwendyk added his second goal of the game 20 seconds later for a 5-1 Brockport advantage.

Spooner's second goal of the game with 9:10 left in the third period gave the Golden Eagles a 6-1 lead and Franklin Pierce scored with 7:26 remaining to end the scoring.

Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT/St. Michaels Buzzers) made 18 saves for the Golden Eagles while Pat Dunn and Kyle Moran combined for 35 saves for the Ravens.

BROCKPORT BEATS MORRISVILLE 4-2

The Sports Information Desk looks at last night's victory...


Freshman Shane Cavalieri (Richmond Hill, ONT/Toronto Lakeshore Patriots) scored 6:41 into the third period to break a 2-2 tie sending The College at Brockport Hockey team to a 4-2 victory over Morrisville Friday night in a key State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game at the Tuttle North Arena in Brockport. The game was the Fifth Annual Saves for a Cure contest with money being raised to benefit the charity started by Brockport alum Todd Sheridan. The Golden Eagles will auction off the jerseys worn in the game.

The victory pushed the Golden Eagles to 11 points in the SUNYAC standings with five win and a tie and are currently one point ahead of Potsdam in the standings. Potsdam has one game remaining at Cortland Saturday. A Potsdam win would put the Bears in the final playoff spot while a tie or a loss at Cortland would put the Golden Eagles into the final playoff position. A Potsdam tie at Cortland would cause a tie between the two teams with the tie not broken until the fourth tiebreaker criteria and Brockport holding a lower goal differential against all conference opponents for the season.

Against Morrisville (4-18-2 Overall, 4-11 SUNYAC), freshman Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) scored early in the first period with his second goal of the year 1:34 into the contest to give the Golden Eagles an early spark.

Brockport (6-16-2, 5-10-1) made it a 2-0 lead eight minutes later as Colby Spooner (Hilton, NY/Aquinas Institute) scored his first goal of the season.

Morrisville cut the lead to 2-1 on a power play goal with just less than five minutes left in the opening period.

In the second period, the Mustangs tied the score at 2-2 five minutes into the stanza with their second power play goal of the game.

In the third period, Cavalieri netted the game-winner 6:41 into the period with assists from James Ryan (Richmond Hill, ONT/Toronto Lakeshore Patriots) and Jesse Facchini (Mississauga, ONT/Mississauga Chargers).

With the Morrisville goalie out of the net for the extra attacker in the closing moments of the third period, Brockport added an empty net goal for the final margin of victory.

Freshman Jared Lockhurst (Caledon, ONT/Wellington Dukes) made 27 saves in the Brockport goal while Christopher Azzano was credited with 31 saves for the Mustangs.

BSG HANDING OUT RALLY TOWELS FOR THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES

WHAT'S SAVES FOR A CURE ALL ABOUT?

Students and families new to the Brockport College community may be unfamiliar with Saves For a  Cure. If you'd like to know more about the organization and its founder --- Todd Sheridan -- watch this 2008 episode of WNY Tonight. It's a one-hour broadcast spread over 5 parts...

THINGS TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEKEND

Brockport can make the playoffs only if they win Friday's game and Potsdam loses both of their weekend games. So, be sure to keep an eye on the Potsdam scoreboards. You can follow their Twitter feed at: https://twitter.com/PotsdamBears

Potsdam's demise notwithstanding, this weekend will mark the last games for team captain Mike Hayward and Colby Spooner, our last connections to the playoff years. Mike, who was Second Team all-SUNYAC last season, comes into his final 2 games with a 14-39-53 line in 97 career games. His fellow blueliner, Colby, sports a 4-5-9 line in 68 NCAA match-ups. 

In 2008-2009 Todd Sheridan set the Brockport single-season record for saves percentage with a stellar .917. Todd will be at Tuttle this weekend for the Saves For a Cure events and will likely see his record fall. Freshman Jared Lockhurst comes into the weekend at .919, facing a Morrisville squad with three 20-point forwards not afraid to attack the net. In such chippy conference affairs, Lockhurst has been dominant with a .922 saves percentage.

Freshman Jesse Facchini needs only 3 points to reach 20 on the season. He will become the first freshman to lead the team since all-time great James Cody did so in 2008-2009. If he doesn't hit 20, this will be the third Brockport squad of this century to lack a 20-point scorer (2001-2002 and 2005-2006 were the other two).

Shane Cavalieri has a team high 8 goals on the season -- 2 short of the magical 10 goal barrier. If he gets double digits he will join James Cody as the only Brockport rookies in the past 16 years to score that many.

Brockport has only 279 penalty minutes on the season. In DIII, anything sub-320 is awesome. If they come out of the weekend with 20 penalty minutes earned, it will be the first sub-300 Brockport squad in my 20 seasons watching the team -- and it may be the first ever on campus.      

STYLUS LOOKS AT WEEKEND THAT WAS & WEEKEND THAT WILL BE

In this week's Brockport Stylus there is an article by hockey writer Brandon Wood about last weekend's games as well as the playoff scenario that exists for this weekend's regular season finale...

Captain Mike Hayward guaranteed his team’s return last week to the SUNYAC ice hockey playoffs this season. However, after being swept on a road trip in Upstate New York, the Golden Eagles no longer control their own destiny.

They need to beat Morrisville at home and need a lot of help from other SUNYAC teams if they are to make the postseason tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

Brockport (5-16-2 overall, 4-10-1 SUNYAC) opened its weekend of SUNYAC play Friday, Feb. 8 at Potsdam, who sat at the bottom of the conference entering the weekend.

With no scoring in the first period of the game, the Eagles struck first on the power play when Chase Nieuwendyk scored the third goal of his injury-shortened season seven minutes into the second period. The Bears answered back six minutes later to even the score at one.

Shane Cavalieri gave Brockport the lead once again just 22 seconds into the third period for his team-leading eighth goal of the season. Cavalieri is seventh in freshman scoring in the SUNYAC with 13 points.

“If you had asked me back in September who would be leading the team, Shane wouldn’t have been at the top but he would have been near the top,” Head Coach Brian Dickinson said. “We brought in Shane because we knew he is a goal scorer. I think that all of our freshmen have done a great job of coming in and trying to get better.”

Brockport’s lead held up until seven minutes remained in regulation, when Potsdam tied the game at two on a goal from its leading scorer Mike Arnold.

Brockport took its third lead of the game 41 seconds later when freshman Jeremy DeFazio scored his fourth of the season to make the score 3-2 Eagles.

In overtime, the Eagles never got a shot on goal. Potsdam outshot them 4-0. Billy Pascalli scored the game-winning goal two minutes into overtime to give the Bears the two crucial conference points. Jared Lockhurst made 37 saves in goal for the Eagles.

“It’s tough to lose a game like that,” Dickinson said. “It’s heart-wrenching to give up a game-tying goal with four seconds left.”

In its second game of the weekend Saturday, Feb. 9, the Eagles faced No. 9 Plattsburgh on the road. 

Once again, the Eagles held the lead only to have it erased. Freshman Jesse Facchini scored his third goal of the season four minutes into the game, but Plattsburgh answered to tie the game one minute later.

Ten minutes later, Dillan Fox gave Plattsburgh the 2-1 lead when he beat senior Aaron Green. Green got the start over Lockhurst against Plattsburgh.

“We just felt like a night off for [Jared] would be beneficial after what happened the night before,” Dickinson said.

Green made 33 saves, including 16 in the second period when the Cardinals had their only two power plays of the game.

Brockport’s penalty kill was one of the bright spots throughout the weekend, as it did not give up a goal while shorthanded in five total kills. The Eagles have the fourth best penalty kill in the SUNYAC, stopping their opponents 81.1 percent of the time.

Plattsburgh scored the game’s final goal midway through the third period, as Brockport’s offense struggled in the last period of the game, when it managed just five shots on goal.

The Eagles have one game remaining in SUNYAC play as they host Morrisville Friday, Feb. 15 at Tuttle North Ice Arena. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. They have a game at home Saturday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. against Franklin Pierce for Senior Night that will have no effect on the SUNYAC playoff race.

Morrisville kept Brockport from making the SUNYAC playoffs in the season’s final game last year, and has a chance to repeat that feat this season. Whichever team loses this game will be eliminated from SUNYAC playoff contention.

“You never totally forget about what happened in the past, but at the end of the day we need to focus on playing a solid game against Morrisville,” Dickinson said. “If we play with a passion like we played in Plattsburgh, we win those hockey games against any other team [in the SUNYAC] that isn’t Plattsburgh or Potsdam.”

If Brockport does win, that doesn’t mean they will make the playoffs, as Potsdam upset No. 14 Geneseo in overtime Saturday, Feb. 9 and now controls its own fate. If Potsdam wins either of its remaining two home games, the Eagles cannot make the postseason.

“We told them going into Saturday we couldn’t control anything in any arena but the one we are in,” Dickinson said. “There’s a reason why we play the games and upsets happen.”



Source:

http://www.thestylus.net/sports/brockport-hockey-captain-s-guarantee-in-jeopardy-1.2988828?pagereq=1#.UR4JPWd0hwZ

SAVES FOR A CURE BENEFIT LUNCHEON

There will be a chicken BBQ dinner benefiting Saves For a Cure this Saturday afternoon, February 16th, at 58 Main Restaurant and Smokin' BBQ in Brockport, just north of the lift bridge. The BBQ is available from 11:30 to 2:30.

Dinner tickets are available from any of the hockey players and will also be on sale at Friday's game. The tickets are $10 each and meals can be dine in or take out.

The meal will be served by the Golden Eagles hockey team.

The Facebook event page can be found here:


https://www.facebook.com/events/525171004193665/

TAYLOR COMMITS TO BROCKPORT

Lindsay Muskies forward Jake Taylor (photo credit - Andy Corneau/OJHL Images) has confirmed his commitment to join The College at Brockport Golden Eagles beginning with the 2013-14 SUNYAC season.

The Port Perry, Ontario native is currently completing his fifth OJHL season after joining the league as a 16-year old member of the Port Hope Predators in 2008-09.  After recording 10 points in 30 games played as a rookie, Taylor joined the Peterborough Stars in 2009-10 and would up his offensive output to 7 goals and 15 points in 34 gams played, while also getting his first taste of OJHL playoff action.  Year three saw Taylor as one of the Stars leaders, finishing second on the club in scoring by notching 50 points in 38 games played, but he would be on the move to Whitby following the 2010-11 season.  After 15 points in 23 games with the Fury, he would be traded to Lindsay, finishing sixth on the Muskies in scoring with 14 goals and 34 points in 40 games played.  Despite missing a large portion of the season, Taylor has already tied his career-high with 15 goals and sits seventh on the club in scoring with 27 points in 24 contests.

HOCKEY TO HOST SAVES FOR A CURE GAME FRIDAY

Five years ago an idea was hatched to hold a charity game and fundraising weekend around the Saves for a Cure organization that was started by former Golden Eagles goalie Todd Sheridan. Next weekend marks the fifth annual Saves for a Cure game as the Golden Eagles face Morrisville at 7 pm Friday February 15 in the Tuttle North Ice Arena.

Since its inception, the charity events have raised over $20,000 with a majority of that money being donated to the Golisano Children's Hospital in Rochester.

The Brockport Department of Athletics will donate all of the ticket proceeds from the game and the commemorative jerseys worn by the Golden Eagles will be auctioned off for the charity as well. New in 2013 is a chicken BBQ dinner Saturday afternoon held at 58 Main Restaurant and Smokin' BBQ. Dinner tickets are available from any of the hockey players and will also be on sale the night of the game. The tickets are $10 each and meals can be dine in or take out.

The jerseys are currently being auctioned off until 8 am on Feb. 17. The jerseys are usually the biggest portion of money raised, including last years' total of nearly $2,500. Winners of the auction will be announced Sunday and contacted via e-mail.

A representative and two young cancer patients from the Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester was chosen for a celebrity puck drop to kick-off the game.

 

Jersey auction website: 

http://www.gobrockport.com/sports/2011/1/24/MHOCKEY_0124110742.aspx?id=37

PLATTSBURGH BEATS BROCKPORT

Freshman Jesse Facchini (Mississauga, ONT/Mississauga Chargers) scored four minutes into the game for The College at Brockport Hockey team but Plattsburgh answered less than a minute later and went on to post a 3-1 victory Saturday night in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game at Stafford Arena in Plattsburgh.

The Plattsburgh win coupled with an overtime victory for Potsdam over Geneseo clinched at least second place in the SUNYAC standings for the Cardinals and bumped the Golden Eagles to seventh place in the standings just a single point behind Potsdam. Brockport finishes the SUNYAC schedule Friday with a home game against Morrisville while Potsdam plays home games against Oswego and Cortland needing a win to clinch the final SUNYAC Tournament playoff spot.

Junior Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY/NY Bobcats) started the scoring play for Brockport (5-16-2 Overall, 4-10-1 SUNYAC) sending the puck into the Plattsburgh (16-6-1, 11-2-1) zone off the back wall and collected the loose puck to the right of the Cardinal goal. Cangro passed the puck between his legs back to a waiting Facchini who sent a shot over the glove hand of the goalie into the top corner of the net for the early Brockport lead.

Less than a minute later, Plattsburgh scored with a crossing pass through the slot and to an open player on the corner of the goal to redirect the puck into the open side of the goal to knot the game at 1-1.

The score remained tied until late in the first period with the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead after stuffing in a loose puck after goalie Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT/St. Michaels Buzzers) had made the first two saves on the play. It looked as though Green had covered up the loose puck but referees ruled that the puck was still loose when the final shot was taken.

After a scoreless second period in which Green made 16 saves with several coming on good scoring chances for the Cardinals, Plattsburgh made it a 3-1 lead midway through the third period. The shot from 10 feet inside the blue line and along the boards deflected off a couple different legs in front of the net and the redirected puck slid past Green into the back of the net.

Green finished with 33 saves as Plattsburgh held a 36-25 shots advantage.

POTSDAM OUTLASTS BROCKPORT IN OT

A late goal in regulation from Potsdam erased a Brockport lead and the Bears stole a 4-3 overtime victory over the Golden Eagles on Friday night at the Maxcy Ice Arena in Potsdam, NY. The Golden Eagles fall to 4-9-1 in the State University of New York Athletic Conference while Potsdam improves to 4-9.

Brockport held three separate leads on the night, including a 3-2 lead with four seconds remaining in regulation when the Bears found the back of the net to force an extra five minutes. Potsdam scored the game-winner at the 2:17 mark of overtime to clinch the conference victory.

The Golden Eagles sit in sixth place in the SUNYAC standings with nine points while the Bears earn a crucial two points and are in seventh place with eight. Brockport looks to clinch up a playoff berth with two more conference games remaining, including a 7:00 pm matchup at Plattsburgh tomorrow night. The Golden Eagles will host Morrisville for the SUNYAC finale on Feb. 15.

After a scoreless first period, Chase Nieuwendyk (Georgetown, ONT/Trenton Golden Hawks) picked up the game's first score on a power play 7:28 into the second period for his third goal of the year. Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY/NY Bobcats) and Troy Polino (Limerick, PA/NY Bobcats) each earned an assist on the play. Potsdam answered back six minutes later to even the game at one.

Shane Cavalieri (Richmond Hill, ONT/Toronto Lakeshore Patriots) scored just 22 seconds into the third period to regain the lead for Brockport. The goal was Cavalieri's team-leading eighth score of the year. Cavalieri scored with helpers from James Ryan (Richmond Hill, ONT/Toronto Lakeshore Patriots) and Mike Hayward (Toronto, ONT/Vaughan Vipers). Brockport held the lead one goal lead for almost 13 minutes until the Bears netted the equalizer once again.

Potsdam's lead lasted only seconds though, as Jeremy DeFazio (Oakville, ONT/Georgetown Raiders) scored at the 13:52 mark of the third, 41 seconds after Potsdam's score to go up 3-2. Jesse Facchini (Mississauga, ONT/Mississauga Chargers) was credited with his team-leading 14^th assist on the year.

Brockport was seconds away from a critical SUNYAC victory until Potsdam tied the game at three. The Bears called a timeout at the 19:14 mark and pulled their goal four seconds later. Brockport held off the extra attacker until the 19:56 mark. Potsdam sent the game into overtime and outshot the Golden Eagles 4-0 in the extra session.

Jared Lockhurst (Caledon, ONT/Wellington Dukes) recorded 37 saves on the night. The freshman registered 11 saves in the first period, 15 in the second, eight in the third, and three in the overtime period.

Plattsburgh currently sits in third place in the SUNYAC after beating Geneseo 6-1 on Friday night.

STYLUS ARTICLE ABOUT BROCKPORT'S PLAYOFF HOPES

In this week's edition of the Stylus, Brandon Wood looks at the team's playoff chances...



Captain Mike Hayward and forward Colby Spooner. They are the only two names on the current Golden Eagles ice hockey roster who have played in the SUNYAC tournament for the College at Brockport.

If the SUNYAC ice hockey playoffs were to start today, Brockport would find itself playing a postseason game for the first time since the 2009-10 season. However, the Golden Eagles have only a one-point cushion over Morrisville for the final SUNYAC playoff spot after a 3-1 loss Friday, Feb. 1 at Geneseo.

Geneseo jumped out to an early lead just under five minutes into the game on a goal from senior Garry Childerhose, the first of his career. Brockport (5-14-2 overall, 4-8-1 SUNYAC) tied the game just over a minute later when freshman James Ryan scored his third goal of the season on the power play.

The Ice Knights kept the pressure on Brockport’s freshman goalie Jared Lockhurst and took a 2-1 lead with 10 minutes left in the first period. They didn’t look back. Lockhurst made 40 saves on the night and still boasts the fifth best save percentage in all of SUNYAC despite the losing effort.

“Jared is a very talented young goalie,” Hayward wrote in an email. “He consistently makes huge saves game in and game out. Having a solid goaltender back there gives the whole team confidence and reassurance knowing he’s there to bail you out.”

The Golden Eagles had a tough time putting shots on Lockhurst’s opposition, Bryan Haude, who only had to make seven saves outside of the second period when Brockport had 18 shots on goal.

“[In the] second period I thought we were really good,” Brockport Head Coach Brian Dickinson said.

“It was chaos around the Geneseo net. There were a lot of bodies and mad scrambles out in front. We hit a post and we had a few two-on-one opportunities. We generated quite a few chances and unfortunately couldn’t get one past Haude.”

Brockport has the second- worst scoring offense in the SUNYAC, scoring just 49 goals in its 21 games this season.

Geneseo made it 3-1 two minutes into the third period for the final goal of the game. With the loss, the Golden Eagles have just three SUNYAC contests remaining on their schedule.

Brockport plays two more road games in its SUNYAC schedule at Potsdam Friday, Feb. 8 and at No. 9 Plattsburgh Saturday, Feb. 9. The Golden Eagles wrap up SUNYAC play Feb. 15 at home against Morrisville, the team that kept them out of the playoffs last season.

“Everybody that’s associated with our program knows what happened in the last game last year and that left us with a bad taste in our mouths,” Dickinson said. “For us, a win by us over them will pretty much seal their playoff fate regardless of what happens this weekend to us. We’d definitely like to return the favor to them and knock them out.”

Oswego State, Geneseo and Plattsburgh have all clinched playoff births to this year’s SUNYAC tournament. The other six teams are within five points of each other. Teams earn two conference points for a win over a SUNYAC opponent and one for a tie.

Buffalo State and Fredonia have 11 points in fourth and fifth place, respectively, and Brockport currently holds the final playoff spot with nine points. Morrisville sits in seventh with eight points, Cortland has seven points and Potsdam sits at the bottom of the conference with six points.

The Golden Eagles have earned just three conference points in their last eight conference games, but Hayward is sure that this season is the one they will return to the playoffs.

“I know we are going to make the SUNYAC playoffs this year,” he wrote. “It’s a very close race and it’s going to come down to the last weekend, but everyone is on the same page. We all have the same goal so there is no doubt in my mind that we will make it.”

Brockport defeated Potsdam at home 4-3 earlier this season in overtime on a game-winning goal by freshman Shane Cavalieri, but has not won in Potsdam since the 2008-09 season. The Golden Eagles lost to Morrisville on the road 5-4 in their final game before winter break.



Source: http://www.thestylus.net/sports/eagles-cling-to-final-playoff-spot-1.2983117#.URN6oWd0hwZ

SAVES FOR A CURE JERSEY AUCTION UNDERWAY

The College at Brockport will host the sixth annual Saves For a Cure game on Friday, February 15th when Morrisville comes to Tuttle north.

Saves for a Cure is a non-profit, charitable organization started by Todd Sheridan ('11), a former Brockport goalie -- and one of Brockport's all-time greatest players --  and the College's all-time leader in goals-against average (3.07), career wins (29) and saves percentage (.904). He also holds the 4 best single season goals-against-averages for Brockport.

In 2005 Todd was diagnosed with cancer, given a 70% chance of survival and told he’d never play hockey again. Todd beat cancer and the odds and then had quite the career at Brockport, as made evident by his career numbers and the team's only 2 playoff seasons -- both of which occurred while he was in net.

With his success story as its backdrop, Saves For a Cure oversees a variety of fundraisers, including the annual Saves For a Cure game. All proceeds from any Saves For a Cure event or activity go to the children’s cancer clinic at Strong Memorial Hospital.

The highlight of the game is an auction whereby fans can bid on the special jerseys being worn during the game. The auction has begun and will continue through 8 am (Eastern), Sunday, February 17, 2013. The winners will be listed on the auction web page and will be notified via email. Bids will be updated as often as possible on the auction page.

If you would like to support Saves for a Cure and get your own Brockport hockey jersey, the auction webpage is:

http://www.gobrockport.com/sports/2011/1/24/MHOCKEY_0124110742.aspx?path=mhockey

Email your bids to Kelly Vergin at: kvergin@brockport.edu with "2012-2013 Jersey Auction" in the subject line and indicate the jersey number and the dollar amount your are pledging.

Thank you for your support!

BROCKPORT FALLS TO RIVAL GENESEO 3-1

Freshman James Ryan (Richmond Hill, ONT/Toronto Lakeshore Patriots) scored a power play goal in the first period to tie the score at 1-1 for The College at Brockport Hockey team but Geneseo added a second goal in the opening period and went on to post a 3-1 victory Friday night in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game in Geneseo.

The Knights (14-6-1 Overall, 10-2-1 SUNYAC), currently in the also receiving votes section of the USCHO.com national poll, opened the scoring with an extra man goal in the first five minutes of the contest.

Just over a minute later, after an interference penalty gave the Golden Eagles (5-14-2, 4-8-1) a power play, Ryan evened the score at 1-1 with his third goal of the year. Assists were awarded to Shane Cavalieri (Richmond Hill, ONT/Toronto Lakeshore Patriots) and junior Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY/NY Bobcats).

Nearly three minutes later, Geneseo took the 2-1 lead and neither team scored again for the next 30 minutes of action. There was no scoring in the second period but two minutes into the final period, Geneseo added a third goal and held on the for the victory tightening up the defense to prevent Brockport from managing a quality scoring opportunity.

Freshman Jared Lockhurst (Caledon, ONT/Wellington Dukes) made 40 saves in the Brockport goal and now has nearly 400 saves on the season averaging over 32 saves per game played.

Brockport returns to action next Friday with a trip to the North Country to face Potsdam at 7 pm in a game that will be played at the Massena Arena in Massena, NY due to construction on the arena on the Potsdam campus. The following night, Brockport will face off against Plattsburgh.