BROCKPORT'S SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE IN PLAYOFF LOSS TO BUFFALO STATE

Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY) and Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY) scored goals within a minute of each other in the second period for The College at Brockport Hockey team but an early 4-0 lead for Buffalo State and a late three-goal flurry in the second period gave the Bengals a 7-2 victory Wednesday night in the first round of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament at the Buffalo State Ice Arena in Buffalo.

The loss snapped a four-game win streak for the Golden Eagles (10-13-3) who moved from outside the playoff picture to the No. 5 seed in the tournament with the last four wins of the season.

"This is not the way you want to end a season," said head coach Brian Dickinson. "I thought we did a great job in the third period after the way the second period ended and we had some scoring chances but just couldn't finish"

In the first period, Buffalo State jumped out to the lead midway through the period. Late in the period with Brockport on a power play, a shot from the point was blocked and the Bengals recovered the loose puck skating in on a breakaway and beat Green to the blocker side for a shorthanded goal and a 2-0 lead.

The Bengals held a 13-6 advantage in shots over the first 20 minutes of action.

The second period featured seven total goals as Buffalo State scored the first two to take a 4-0 lead before Brockport got on the board. Luker fired a slap shot from the point on a Golden Eagles power play and it found its way through a crowd in front of the Bengal goal into the top corner to cut the lead to 4-1.

Less than a minute later, the lead was cut in half as Cangro finished off an offensive rush as Brendon Rothfuss (Webster, NY) dug the puck out of the corner and sent a sharp pass through the crease and to the stick of Cangro on the corner of the net for the goal.

The Bengals responded with three goals in a span of just over two minutes to take all the momentum away from the Golden Eagles. The shots were nearly even at 11-10 in favor of Buffalo State in the second period.

The third period was scoreless with Brockport finishing the period with a shots advantage of 14-10.

"I wouldn't really fault (Aaron) Green for anything tonight," said Dickinson. He played hard and did a great job to get us into the playoffs."

The game marked the end of the career for the Brockport seniors.

"It is a bittersweet ending of the season for them," said Dickinson. "They showed great leadership all season and fought hard to the bitter end. This class can be proud that they did something that the last couple senior classes weren't able to do by making the playoffs."

AARON GREEN: SUNYAC GOALIE OF THE WEEK

Junior Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT) of The College at Brockport men's ice hockey team has been named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Goalie of the Week for the week ending on February 23.

Green had another exceptional weekend in goal for the Golden Eagles, adding two more wins to his record. Green has been undefeated in net for the past two weeks, posting a 4-0 record and improving his overall record to 7-2-0.

On Friday, Green held Fredonia to just one goal. In 60 minutes, he recorded 16 saves. The win helped secure a spot for the Golden Eagles in the SUNYAC playoffs.

Against Buffalo State on Saturday, Green held his own. He finished the game with 32 saves and kept Brockport ahead of the Bengals 3-2. With the win, Brockport jumped into the fifth seed for playoffs.

BUFF STATE'S LOOK AHEAD TO WEDNESDAY'S GAME

BUFFALO, NY--Fourth-seeded Buffalo State will host a SUNYAC Quarterfinal game against No. 5 Brockport on Wednesday at the Ice Arena a 7 p.m., marking the fourth-consecutive season the Bengals have opened the playoffs at home.

Buffalo State finished the regular season 9-11-5 overall, but earned the No. 4 seed, going 6-6-4 for 16 points in conference play. Brockport is 10-12-3 overall and finished a point behind the Bengals in the league standings at 7-8-1.

The two teams split the regular-season series with each team defending its home ice. Buffalo State claimed a 6-1 victory at the Ice Arena on Dec. 7, but the Golden Eagles won 3-2 in Brockport just this past Saturday. The teams are streaking in opposite directions with Buffalo State going 0-3-2 in its final five regular season games, while Brockport has won its past four games.

Buffalo State is led offensively by Dan Turgeon (Centennial, CO/Cherokee Trail), Mike Zannella (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca) and Taylor Pryce (Newmarket, ON/Cardinal Carter). Turgeon is a junior transfer from Monroe Community College who leads the team with 10 goals and 25 points. Zannella, a senior team captain, has seven goals and 20 points, and Pryce, just a freshman, has tallied six goals and 19 points.

Kevin Carr (Unionville, ON/Unionville) has played every game between the pipes for Buffalo State and has a 2.62 goals against average and a .927 save percentage. The senior netminder has already set nearly every Buffalo State single season and career goaltending record.

This is Buffalo State's ninth SUNYAC playoff appearance, including its eighth in the past nine years under head coach Nick Carriere. The Bengals defeated Fredonia 6-0 last season in the quarters and advanced to the conference semifinals for the second-consecutive season where they lost to eventual national runner-up Oswego.

The lowest remaining seed after Wednesday's games will play at No. 1-seeded Geneseo for the semifinals on Saturday at 7 p.m. The highest remaining seed will visit No. 2 Plattsburgh. The other quarterfinal match-up features No. 6 Fredonia at No. 3 Oswego.

Tickets for Wednesday's game will be available at the door for $6 for the public and $3 for students. Buffalo State and Brockport students with ID will be admitted for free.

THE CREW FROM THE 2014 ALUMNI GAME

CONSIDER THESE CLUTCH STATISTICS

In the last 4 games, goalie Aaron Green has stopped 120 of 126 shots, good for a .952 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average.

BROCKPORT BEATS BUFF STATE IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE

Freshman Nick Marinac (Burlington, ONT) tapped home a power play goal in the opening minutes of the third period and junior Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT) made 10 of his 32 saves in the final period to lead The College at Brockport to a 3-2 victory over Buffalo State Saturday night in the regular-season finale and a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game in Brockport.

The Golden Eagles (10-12-3 Overall, 7-8-1 SUNYAC) finished fifth in the final SUNYAC standings and will face Buffalo State at 7 pm Wednesday in Buffalo for the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament. Fredonia will face Oswego in Oswego in the other first round matchup. Plattsburgh and Geneseo receive first round byes in the tournament and will face the winners of Wednesday's game Saturday, March 1.

Brockport opened the scoring midway through the first period as James Ryan (Richmond Hill, ONT) finished off a power play combination with assists from Marinac and senior Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY).

Cangro was one of six seniors playing in their final regular season game in Brockport. He was joined by captain Matt DeLuca (Skippack, PA), assistant captain Brendon Rothfuss (Webster, NY), Bobby Conner (Lititz, PA), Steve Sachman (Medford, NY) and Sean Wallace (Rochester, NY) as they were introduced in lieu of a starting lineup.

Early in the second period, Brockport made it a 2-0 lead as Cangro picked up a loose puck after a turnover near the Brockport blue line and skated the length of the ice and in on the Buffalo State (9-11-5, 6-6-4) goalie before calmly sliding a pass through the slot area to the stick of Chase Nieuwendyk (Georgetown, ONT) for easy goal in the open half of the net.

The Bengals battled back scoring a pair of goals in a span of 22 seconds late in the second period to knot the score at 2-2.

Ryan and Marinac each finished with a goal and an assist and Cangro added two assists for the Golden Eagles. Green finished with 32 saves with 11 in each of the first two periods and 10 in the final stanza to record his fourth consecutive victory and seventh of the season.

WHO DESERVES A SUNYAC AWARD?

Looking ahead at the SUNYAC awards in a few weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Chris Luker on the all-SUNYAC 1st team, Chris Cangro on the 2nd team, and Jake Taylor on the all-rookie squad. What are your thoughts? Share them on our Facebook page.

RECOGNIZING OUR SENIORS

Tonight is Senior Night, when the team recognizes the elder statesmen of the program for their 4 years of commitment to the program.

Those who will be leaving us after the playoffs:

Chris Cangro: The cerebral forward has played in 89 games in which he has posted a 25-33-58 line. He has been instrumental in securing a playoff spot this year: A man possessed in conference play, he has 17 points in 13 such games this season. He ranks 3rd in the SUNYAC in conference scoring (just 2 points back from the leader) and is ranked 1st in conference assists this season.

Bobby Conner: Young Bobby is a fan favorite -- you can tell by his gigantic blow-own photo that has adorned many a game from the Eagles Nest. He has seen action in 47 games in which he has produced a 6-14-20 stat line. His best season was his freshman year, when he led all Brockport freshman and sophomores in games played (24), assists (8) and scoring (12). 

Matt DeLuca: The captain has been one of the most professional men on and off the ice over the past four years, always setting an example. He has seen action in 96 games and sports a 4-15-19 line which belies his importance to the team: He is a defense-first -- and defense-always -- blueliner who does the not-so-sexy things that don't appear on the score sheet. A testament to his focus: He has amassed only 62 penalty minutes over his NCAA career.

Joey Reagan: Despite being a mid-season cut, Joe will still be recognized at Senior Night. And for good reason: Over 4 seasons Joe saw action in 17 games, in which he posted a .886 save percentage and 4.65 GAA. His first season was one of the best for a freshman Brockport goalie -- playing in half the games, he had a .895 save percentage that had been sitting above .900 for most of the season.

Brendon Rothfuss: The two-sport star has been snake-bitten by injuries over the years. The always-hustling forward has sustained numerous injuries at the rink and on the lacrosse field which have kept him from playing and have limited his talent on the ice. Even so, he has played in 77 games, in which he has an 18-25-43 line.Among his more exciting goals was the OT game-winner against WNEC earlier this year.

Steve Sachman: The senior with the NHL-calibre shot has played in 67 games in which he has amassed a 12-15-27 line. He has really brought the thunder over the years when called upon. His best year was his sophomore campaign, in which he had played in 25 games and had a 7-9-16 line with a shorthanded goal and a game-winner. In November of that year he was SUNYAC player of the week thanks to a win against #14 Geneseo on the road in which he scored 2 goals.

Sean Wallace: A local product, Sean has played in 35 games as a blueliner, posting a 3-3-6 line. It was good to see him back with the Golden Eagles after a missed junior year. Among his highlights was a goal in a memorable and emotionally-draining affair against Fredonia at Tuttle North that ended in a 2-2 tie on 2011's Senior Night (just one night after he netted his first collegiate goal).



Thank you for the memories, guys, and may your post-college careers and family lives be exciting and fruitful.

BROCKPORT'S FIREPOWER

What accounts for Brockport's success in the second semester? A markedly-improved ability to light the lamp.

There were 12 games played in the first semester, in which the team scored 31 goals (2.58 per game).

There have been 12 games played so far (with 1 to go in the regular season) this semester. The goal tally? 44, or a whopping 3.67 per game -- that's a scoring clip 42% greater than the 1st semester!

Had this pace been maintained for both semesters, Brockport's scoring would rank 14th in the nation. The team is currently ranked 30th at 3.12, which in itself is not too shabby.

BRANDON WOOD ARTICLE ABOUT DICKINSON

Brandon Wood has also penned an excellent commentary about the always-affable Brian Dickinson, a man who is a far better coach than his record suggests and someone who represents Brockport Athletics with the utmost class and dignity...

http://goldeneagleshockey.blogspot.com/2014/02/dickinson-is-class-of-brockport-coaches.html

BRANDON WOOD LOOKS AT WIN AGAINST FREDONIA

For his hockey blog, Brandon Wood of WBSU and the Stylus has written a report about the play-off clinching win against Fredonia:

http://goldeneagleshockey.blogspot.com/2014/02/brockport-earns-first-playoff-berth.html

BROCKPORT CLINCHES PLAYOFF BERTH

The College at Brockport Hockey team scored three times in the first period en route to a 4-1 victory over Fredonia Friday night in Brockport. The victory coupled with Cortland and Potsdam losses against Plattsburgh and Oswego respectively earned the Golden Eagles a spot in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) playoff for the third time in the last six years.

Brockport (9-12-3 Overall, 6-8-1) are currently tied for fifth in the conference standings with 13 points with Fredonia but hold the tie breaker criteria over the Blue Devils. The Golden Eagles clinched at least a sixth place finish with the win over Fredonia and secured a spot in the opening round of the SUNYAC Tournament that starts Wednesday, February 26. The third seed in the tournament will host the sixth place team and the No. 4 seed will host the fifth place team on the 26th. If the regular season finished today, the Golden Eagles would travel to Buffalo State and Fredonia would play at Oswego in the first round games.

The Golden Eagles advance to the SUNYAC tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

Against Fredonia (6-11-6, 4-6-5), Brockport struck early and often. Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY) opened the scoring midway through the first period skating in on the right side before taking a cross-ice pass and snapping home a quick shot for the 1-0 Brockport lead. Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY) and Jake Taylor (Port Perry, ONT) were credited with assists on the play.

Less than a minute later, Brockport made it a 2-0 lead as Jonathan Demme (Brampton, ONT) fired a shot from a couple steps inside the blue line over the leg pad of the Fredonia goalie. Taylor was in on the scoring again as was defenseman Chad Cummings (Caledon, ONT).

The Golden Eagles were not done scoring in the first period. A power play opportunity shortly after Demme's goal led to another Brockport goal and a 3-0 lead. Bobby Chayka (Hardwick, NJ) took a hard shot from the point and Jesse Facchini (Mississauga, ONT) tipped in the shot under the Blue Devil goalie.

With five minutes remaining in the second period, Brockport made it a 4-0 lead as Cangro added a goal. Taylor picked up his third assist of the night on the play along with Chase Nieuwendyk (Georgetown, ONT).

Fredonia got on the board early in the third period to make it 4-1 but the Brockport defense continued to shine through the final period allowing just six shots in the period.

Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT) needed to make just 17 saves on the night to earn his third consecutive victory and sixth of the season.

PLATTSBURGH'S DRAKE HANGING UP THE MIC

Anyone who has ever listened to a Brockport-Plattsburgh game while up north has heard Plattsburgh announcer Ducky Drake. Ducky is hanging up the microphone in the next few weeks, after FORTY years of covering Cardinal hockey. He's been a real asset to DIII hockey and the SUNYAC.

Here's his heartfelt good-bye to the fans...

http://www.pressrepublican.com/0200_opinion/x1196447149/In-My-Opinion-Support-gave-boost-to-broadcasting

WOOD LOOKS AT BROCKPORT'S DYNAMIC TRIO

For his hockey blog, WBSU and Stylus hockey analyst Brandon Wood wrote a nice article comparing and contrasting the Golden Eagles' 3 goalies. Check it out here:

http://goldeneagleshockey.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-battle-for-time-in-crease.html

THE FOLKS AT BROCKPORT ATHLETICS INTERVIEW AARON GREEN

AARON GREEN'S WIN-LOSS RECORD

This weekend's victories gave reason to pause and ponder Aaron Green's brilliance. His career win percentage of .522 (based on a 12-11-0 record) is the highest in Brockport hockey history. Next in line: Todd Sheridan at .507 (29-28-10).

GREEN IS BROCKPORT ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Junior men’s hockey goalkeeper Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT) has been chosen as The College at Brockport Male Athlete of the Week for the week ending on February 16.

Green had an outstanding weekend in net for the Golden Eagles. Green’s strong performance helped keep Brockport’s playoff hopes alive with two important wins.

On Friday against Cortland, Green made 27 saves including two on breakaway shots as the Golden Eagles came from behind for a 5-3 win.

Green was once again a force for Brockport on Saturday. Against Oswego, Green made a career-high 44 saves to help the Golden Eagles hang on for a 3-2 win. The win over Oswego was the first time Brockport beat the Lakers in 11 years.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF OSWEGO GAME

BROCKPORT BEATS OSWEGO FOR FIRST TIME IN 11 YEARS!

Junior Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT) made a career-high 44 saves in an amazing effort leading The College at Brockport Hockey team to a 3-2 victory over Oswego Saturday night in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game in Oswego.

Brockport (8-12-3 Overall, 5-8-1 SUNYAC) beat Oswego (15-6-2, 8-5-1) for the first time in 11 years with the last victory over the Lakers come almost exactly 11 years ago on Feb. 14, 2003 and by the same 3-2 score at Oswego.

The Golden Eagles came out of the gate quickly and Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY) scored the first goal of the game just 4:34 into the contest. Jonathan Demme (Brampton, ONT) took a shot from the point that was stopped by Oswego goalie Justin Gilbert but a rebound left out in front of the net was gathered in by Cangro before he fired a shot into the back of the net for the early lead.

Less than six minutes later, Nick Marinac (Burlington, ONT) caused a turnover in the corner of the Oswego zone and Troy Polino (Limerick, PA) picked up the loose puck and sent a pass to the slot area and the stick of Shane Cavalieri (Richmond Hill, ONT). Cavalieri took the one-timer and put it past Gilbert for a 2-0 Brockport lead 10:02 into the game.

Oswego scored with less than two minutes left in the opening period to trim the lead and the teams went into the locker rooms for the first intermission with Brockport leading 2-1.

There was no scoring in the second period as Green continued to stop shot after shot from the Lakers. If it wasn't Green with the save it was a Brockport player blocking the shot. The Golden Eagles finished the game with 25 blocked shots.

Early in the third period, Brockport regained the two-goal advantage when Rob Hall (Schaumberg, IL) took a shot from the point that was again saved by Gilbert but the rebound found the stick of Brockport's Jesse Facchini (Mississauga, ONT) on the corner of the goal for the easy tap-in goal and a 3-1 Brockport lead.

Oswego continued to pressure the goal and pulled to within a goal with 2:35 left in the period. A pass from behind the Brockport goal found an Oswego player on the edge of the slot and his quick shot just inside the post on the glove side of Green found the back of the net.

The Lakers pulled the goalie for the final 1:30 of the game but could not score the equalizer and Brockport held on the for the important SUNYAC win.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CORTLAND GAME

BROCKPORT STAGES HUGE COMEBACK, BEATS CORTLAND

Sophomore defenseman Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY) fired a hard slap shot from the point early in the third period that found the back of the net giving The College at Brockport Hockey team a 4-3 lead and the Golden Eagles went on to post a 5-3 victory over Cortland in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game Friday night in Cortland. But it was goalie Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT) who made 27 saves including two on breakaway shots in the second period that fueled the victory.

The victory moved Brockport (7-12-3 Overall, 4-8-1 SUNYAC) past Cortland (4-14-3, 3-8-2) in the standings and into sixth place with three games remaining on the regular-season schedule.

Down 3-1 late in the second period, Brockport started the comeback. Bobby Chayka (Hardwick, NJ) scored with 1:28 left in the period to pull the Golden Eagles to within a goal and give Brockport much-needed momentum heading into the locker room for the second intermission.

The Golden Eagles came out firing in the third period. Chase Nieuwendyk (Georgetown, ONT) picked up a loose puck near the blue line in the Brockport zone and skated past the Cortland defender free up the left side of the ice and all the way to the Red Dragon goal. Instead of shooting, Nieuwendyk slid a perfect pass to Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY) streaking in from the slot who then scored into the open half of the net to tie the score just 1:40 into the period.

On the next offensive rush for the Golden Eagles, Brockport moved the puck quickly around the offensive zone before Luker took a pass back to the point from Brendon Rothfuss (Webster, NY) and fired the go-ahead goal with a hard slap shot.

Luker helped with in insurance goal on a power play with less than six minutes remaining. Luker was at the top of the point and slid a short pass to his right onto the stick of James Ryan (Richmond Hill, ONT) who took a quick shot from the top of the right face-off circle through traffic in front of the net and scored for the 5-3 Brockport lead.

Cortland opened the scoring at the 11:08 mark and Jake Taylor (Port Perry, ONT) tied it up for Brockport three minutes later. The Red Dragons scored 44 seconds into the second period and took the 3-1 lead at 9:07 of the period before Brockport mounted its comeback.

Green had 12 of his 27 saves in the second period and Brockport was whistled for just two penalties in the game. Cortland had two of its three penalties in the third period and surrendered the only power play goal of the game.

STASKO ELIMINATED, BUT UNDETERRED

Brockport Hockey alumnus Paul Stasko and his fiance Brittani were eliminated from Good Morning America's wedding contest. But, as the Batavia Daily News reports, that hasn't deterred them...

http://thedailynewsonline.com/lifestyles/article_5df31626-9048-11e3-b3e5-0019bb2963f4.html

BROCKPORT'S PLAYOFF HOPES

Brockport needed a win this weekend to really strengthen their playoff bid. But, that didn't work out as Brockport dropped both games of the home-and-home series with rival Geneseo.

So, what are Brockport's playoff chances now?

Not good.

Cortland is sitting in the coveted sixth spot in conference standings, with 8 points.

Brockport is on the outside looking in with 7 points.

Potsdam is just behind them with 6.

In order to secure a playoff spot, Brockport MUST win 3 of their last 4 games.

Those opponents are Cortland, Oswego, Fredonia, and Buffalo State.

Oswego is the one they are most likely to lose to. The perennial powerhouse is 15-4-2.

Brockport can -- and MUST -- beat Cortland. If they do not do so this coming Friday, consider it to be crisis, as Cortland will then be 3 points ahead and a win against Oswego on Saturday looks unlikely. 

As for Fredonia and Buffalo State, to Brockport's benefit, both are home affairs. In December, Brockport tied Fredonia 3-3 while getting absolutely crushed by Buff State 6-1.

A super-motivated Brockport will likely beat Fredonia, so, the season will likely hinge on how the Golden Eagles perform on Senior Night against the Bengals.

What if Brockport goes 2-2 to close out the season?

They will need a lot of help.

If Brockport goes 2-2, they have to hope Cortland goes 1-3, which is not out of the question. Cortland has the toughest close of the three teams, facing Brockport - Geneseo - Plattsburgh and hungry Potsdam.

It's the last team out of those that Brockport should be most concerned with. Potsdam could overtake both Brockport and Cortland with 2 games against basement-dweller Morrisville then a closing weekend against Oswego and Cortland. 

So, there's a lot going on in the last 2 weekends of the regular season. The top 5 playoff slots are locked up. But, there are 3 teams controlling their own destiny to get into the sixth and final slot.

Can Brockport do it?

It seems feasible --- and, dammit, that's what I'm hoping for. 

The guys just have to play hard and aggressively while eliminating all mistakes. ONE mistake can throw out one game, which in turn dooms the whole season.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed, hoping my beloved Golden Eagles make their first trip to the playoffs in 4 years.

WOOD LOOKS AT GENESEO WEEKEND

Brandon Wood of the Stylus and WBSU wrote the following recap of the Geneseo series for his Golden Eagles hockey blog:

http://goldeneagleshockey.blogspot.com/2014/02/brockport-swept-by-geneseo-fails-to.html

BROCKPORT FALLS TO GENESO ON SATURDAY

Sophomore Shane Cavalieri (Richmond Hill, ONT) scored the lone goals as The College at Brockport men's ice hockey team dropped a 4-1 decision on the road in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game against Geneseo on Saturday evening.

Geneseo took control early in the first period, scoring a goal just 6:32 seconds into the game. The Knights added another goal less than two minutes later to take a two goal lead.

Cavalieri netted his goal at 12:03 to cut the Geneseo lead to one. Troy Polino (Limerick, PA) and Jeremy DeFazio (Oakville, ONT) were recorded assists.

However, the Knights turned around and pushed their lead out to two goals again with a goal nearing the end of period one.

The second period was quiet as neither team managed to add any goals. Despite outshooting Geneseo 12-8 during the period, Brockport could not find the finish they needed.

The Knights opened up the third period with a quick goal, the final of the game. The Golden Eagles continued to struggle to find the back of the net.

Goalie Jared Lockhurst (Caledon, ONT) finished the game with 30 saves.

BROCKPORT LOSES CLOSE ONE TO GENESEO

Sophomore Chase Nieuwendyk (Georgetown, ONT) scored late in the first period and freshman transfer Nate Pelligra (Webster, NY) scored 6:18 into the second period to tie the score for The College at Brockport Hockey team but Geneseo scored the only power play goal of the game two minutes later and held on for a 3-2 victory Friday night in a State University of New York Athletic Conference game in the Tuttle North Ice Arena in Brockport.

The Golden Eagles (6-11-3 Overall, 3-7-1 SUNYAC), wearing a specially designed Saves for a Cure night jersey fell behind 2-0 as the Knights (15-5, 9-2) scored twice in the first 15:34 for the early lead.

As the time was running out in the first period, Nieuwendyk scored an unassisted goal to cut the lead in half for Brockport as the teams headed to the locker room for the first intermission.

Brockport came out of the break with more energy and evened the score six minutes into the stanza as Pelligra knotted the game at 2-2.

Just 20 seconds later, Pelligra was whistled for a tripping penalty and Geneseo took advantage of the extra-man opportunity scoring with just 19 seconds left in the power play to take the 3-2 lead.

Brockport had a 10-7 advantage in shots in the third period but could not find the back of the next to force overtime.

Jared Lockhurst (Caledon, ONT) made 25 saves for Brockport.

THE MEREDITH FAMILY TREE AT BROCKPORT

One of the more recent commitments to the Golden Eagles is young Matt Meredith. Brockport fans are very familiar with the last name.

Matt's father Jeff graduated from Brockport in 1982.

In his last year on campus, he had run out of eligibility so he coached the goalies.

He was bit hard by the coaching bug. He went on to Hamilton College as an assistant and then in 1988-1989 became the head coach at Fredonia, a position he still holds.

During his tenure, his Fredonia teams have made post-season appearances in 19 out of the last 20 years, won three SUNYAC titles, made two NCAA Final Four appearances and the NCAA tournament again in 2007.

MEREDITH COMMITS TO BROCKPORT

The news release from the EHL...


EHL Jr. Titans (New Jersey) forward Matt Meredith has committed to SUNY Brockport for the fall of 2014.

At 6’2” 185lbs the Fredonia, NY native has appeared in only 15 games for the Titans this season as he is currently returning from a mid-season injury. Meredith will be returning to his home state of New York as Brockport is located on the shores of Lake Ontario just outside beautiful Rochester.

Brockport competes in the SUNYAC and currently sits in seventh place with a 4-8-3 record overall. There are three teams from the SUNYAC currently ranked in the top 15 nationally, Plattsburgh #4, Oswego #11, and Geneseo #14.

On committing to Brockport Meredith said, “I am very excited for next year. The SUNYAC is one of the best conferences in Division III hockey and there is a high standard for winning throughout the league. I have been in contact with Coach Dickinson and I want to thank him for believing in me and I look forward to playing for him for the next four years.”

Coach George Haviland said, “We are extremely proud of Matt and his commitment to SUNY Brockport. Matt is an outstanding citizen and important member of our club. He has a great work ethic and we wish him all the best next year at Brockport.”

YEAR	TEAM	Lge.	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM	PP	PPA	SH	SHA	GWG
2013/14	New Jersey Titans	EHL	17	1	2	3	2	0	0	0	0	0
2012/2013	New Jersey Titans	EHL	36	2	7	9	6	0	1	0	0	1
TOTALS			53	3	9	12	8	0	1	0	0	1

KANGAS COMMITS TO BROCKPORT

The official press release from Hartford...

The Hartford Jr Wolfpack is proud to announce that forward Ryan Kangas has committed to SUNY Brockport for the 2014-15 season. The Golden Eagles are a part of the SUNYAC Div III hockey conference and is located in Brockport, NY. The SUNYAC is one of the toughest Div III athletic conferences in the country and Kangas is excited for the opportunity.

"I would like to thank my family for giving me every opportunity to make it to the college level. Without them I would not be where I am today. I also want to thank Coach Cerrella for pushing me and showing me what it will take to make it in college. I am very excited to go to Brockport for both the academics and the hockey program. They are in a tough league that will challenge me to better myself every day, which is something that I am looking forward to, " said the veteran lefty.

Ryan will continue to develop with the Jr Wolfpack as the team approaches their playoffs with just 7 games left in the regular season and they will depend on Kangas to help them make a successful run.

"Ryan has really come on as of late and he is showing that he can easily be a top offensive player at any level. Now with the commitment, the monkey is off his back and we think he is going to be a key to our success for the remainder of the season. I am very proud of Ryan and think he is going to be a great fit for SUNY Brockport and believe he is going to step in and compete as a freshman. Good luck to Ryan and his family, he will be missed here in Hartford," said Chris Cerrella.

YEAR	TEAM	Lge.	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM	PP	PPA	SH	SHA	GWG
2013/14	Hartford Jr. Wolfpack	EHL	29	8	4	12	2	3	2	0	0	1
2012/2013	Connecticut Wolfpack	EHL	25	6	0	6	4	1	0	0	0	1
TOTALS			54	14	4	18	6	4	2	0	0	2

BACKGROUND ON SAVES FOR A CURE

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...

http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2013/02/whats-saves-for-cure-all-about.html

BIG WEEKEND FOR HOCKEY & CHARITY

This weekend is a big one for the hockey team.

The Golden Eagles have a home-and-away split with our biggest rival, Geneseo. The Ice Knights come to Tuttle North on Friday night while Brockport makes the 40-minute trip to Ira Wilson Arena on Saturday. Hockey fans should love the split, because any bad blood created on Friday will spill over into Saturday’s game – and we know how spirited the games have been with Geneseo in recent years.

Geneseo is on fire this season. They are second in the SUNYAC with 16 points, 4 behind conference-leading Plattsburgh. The Knights are 8-2 in SUNYAC play and 14-5 overall. Among their big wins: 7-4 over Oswego, 4-3 OT against Hobart, and last week’s 5-3 win over Plattsburgh.

They have the tenth-best offense in DIII, averaging 3.89 goals per game, ahead of Brockport’s 3.16 (which is 35^th). They allow just 2.79 goals per game, which is good for 31^st in DIII. So, they manage their games well, with the 17^th best margin in the nation.

If they have a weakness, it’s their special teams: they have the 47^th ranked power play and 63^rd-ranked penalty kill. The latter bodes well for Brockport’s arsenal that has the 6^th-best power play in the country.

This is the last weekend Brockport fans will see Geneseo’s Zach Vit, who has been a thorn in Brockport’s side the past 4 years. He’s living up to his top billing yet again with 15 goals already on the season. Tyler Brickler has been stellar this year, too, with 10 goals, 4 of them were game winners --- so, he’s clutch. 

Bryan Haude will likely see the start in net. He comes into the weekend with a .899 - 2.99 line.

This weekend is more than hockey.

It’s about giving, too.

The College at Brockport will host the seventh annual Saves For a Cure game on Friday.

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. 

Among the charity’s donations was a $15,000 check that led to the replacement and upgrade of the play deck at Strong:

http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2011/09/saves-for-cures-first-project.html

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 4 PM (Eastern), Saturday. 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

The piece de resistance is a luncheon on Saturday that will further benefit Saves For a Cure: 

STYLUS RECAP OF LAST WEEKEND'S GAMES

Brandon Wood wrote this recap of last weekend's games for the Brockport Stylus...



Despite holding two separate two-goal leads against then-No. 4 SUNY Plattsburgh, the College at Brockport’s ice hockey team lost 5-4 after surrendering a goal with just more than a minute remaining in regulation. Brockport did pick up two SUNYAC conference points by beating SUNY Potsdam the night before, however.

Potsdam outshot Brockport (6-10-3 overall, 3-6-1 SUNYAC) in every period and 38-28 in total during its game in Brockport Friday, Jan. 31. Fortunately, sophomore goalie Jared Lockhurst was on his game and stopped 37 Potsdam shots as Brockport earned two crucial conference points in a 4-1 win.

The Golden Eagles were outshot 8-1 and took two penalties in the first ten minutes of the game. Brockport was being outshot 11-4 when senior forward Chris Cangro scored his third goal of the season for the Golden Eagles on the power play 13 minutes into the game.

Brockport doubled its advantage early in the second period when a shot by sophomore defenseman Chris Luker was misplayed by Potsdam goalie Shane Talarico and found the back of the net. There were no players in front of Talarico as the puck appeared to handcuff the senior goaltender and bounce off his glove into his net. It was Luker’s fifth goal of the season.

Potsdam answered with a goal of its own with four minutes remaining in the second period, but Brockport scored twice in the final frame to secure the win. 

Sophomore forward Chase Nieuwendyk scored his sixth goal of the season on a power-play and freshman forward Andrew Parks scored his third goal after a great individual play by freshman forward Nick Marinac. Marinac skated through two defenseman past Potsdam’s net, bringing both defenseman with him behind the net before passing to Parks who was all alone in the slot.

Brockport, which entered the game ranked seventh in the nation on the power play, went 2-for-6 on the power play while holding Potsdam to 0-for-6 with the man advantage.

“I think we have great puck control,” Nieuwendyk said about his team’s power play. “Our biggest thing is that we get pucks to the net off scrambles and we’re always attacking.”

Lockhurst, who missed part of the season with a groin injury, appeared to re-injure his groin with about nine minutes remaining in the game but remained in the game until the end.

Following the game, Lockhurst confirmed he aggravated the injury, but said he felt good enough to stay in the game. Junior goalie Aaron Green got the start Saturday, Feb. 1 against Plattsburgh after the injury.

Brockport held 2-0 and 3-1 leads at different points in the game, but Plattsburgh outscored the Golden Eagles 5-2 in the last two periods of the game.

Freshman forward Jake Taylor opened the scoring for the Golden Eagles 12 minutes into the game and Luker followed up with a power-play goal three minutes later. Brockport’s power play was 1-for-3 in the game.

Plattsburgh’s power play put its team on the board one minute into the second period, but freshman defenseman Rob Hall scored his third goal of the season two minutes later to answer for the Golden Eagles. Shortly after, sophomore Plattsburgh goalie Spencer Finney was pulled for the Cardinals regular starter senior Mathieu Cadieux who allowed just one goal in his 35 minutes in net while Finney allowed three in 25 minutes.

Plattsburgh scored the next three goals unanswered throughout the next period and a half to take a 4-3 lead with slightly more than 10 minutes remaining in regulation. Brockport allowed two power-play goals to Plattsbugh in four chances, much different than when it stopped Potsdam all six times the night before.

“We were running around a little bit,” Brockport captain and penalty killer Matt DeLuca said of his team’s penalty kill. “Because they’re so quick and they like to move around we got away from staying in tight. Other than that, we probably could’ve blocked a few more shots.”

Brockport answered to tie the game with less than nine minutes remaining on the clock when sophomore forward Jesse Facchini tallied his third goal of the season. Facchini got the puck from Luker, broke away from everyone and backhanded the puck into the net.

The game came down to the wire, but Plattsburgh found a way to beat Green with 1:10 remaining in the game and Brockport couldn’t score with an empty net. Green made 28-of-33 stops in net.

Despite the loss, Brockport Head Coach Brian Dickinson said he thought taking a nationally ranked team to the wire was important for his squad and was happy with his team’s effort.

“That was a great sixty minute battle against one of the best teams in the country,” Dickinson said. “We had the lead a couple times and we just have to finish things off. We played with them and put in a good effort and we let everyone know we aren’t going to roll over. They handled us pretty easy in their rink so I was proud of the effort all the way through.”

Plattsburgh defeated Brockport 6-0 when the Golden Eagles traveled there earlier this season.

By earning two conference points against Potsdam, Brockport remained in seventh place in the SUNYAC after the weekend. The Golden Eagles are just one conference point behind SUNY Cortland for the sixth and final playoff spot.

Brockport plays a home-and-away with SUNY Geneseo Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8. Friday’s game is at home and is Brockport’s annual Saves-for-a-Cure game. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Tuttle North Ice Arena.

Source:

http://www.thestylus.net/sports/golden-eagles-stuck-at-bottom-of-conference-standings-1.3136211?pagereq=1#.UvN0erQ3myQ

BROCKPORT ALUMNUS IN GOOD MORNING AMERICA WEDDING CONTEST

Paul Stasko played for the Golden Eagles from 2001-2002 through 2003-2004. In 61 games for the team, he had 6 goals and 8 assists.

Be sure to watch Good Morning America this week to see more of Paul...

Hundreds of couples entered Good Morning America's Epic Wedding Showdown for the chance to compete to win an unforgettable Valentine's Day wedding ceremony, complete with a special performance by John Legend, live on " GMA."

Four finalists were chosen from the pack and will face-off in competition with physical challenges and more on "GMA" from February 5 to 7.

Each day following the start of the contest, viewers will be able to vote for their favorite couple and those votes will count towards who will be saved from elimination, and ultimately, who wins the contest. (Go to GoodMorningAmerica.com to vote from noon ET through 8:45 a.m. ET the next day).

Paul and his lovely fiance Brittany are among those competing!

The 31 year-olds currently live in Syracuse and here's the bio from the GMA website:

He's a podiatrist and she's a claims adjustor. This couple says they already know what it means to pledge their undying love to one another, in sickness and in health. In 2010, Brittany was diagnosed at age 27 with ovarian cancer. Overwhelmed by her illness, Brittany says she tried to end things with Paul. But he was in it for the long haul and insisted on staying by her side, through multiple operations and rounds of chemotherapy. Now cancer-free, Brittany says she can't wait to say her "I Do's."

Be sure to participate in the voting and help get one of our Green-and-Gold the wedding ceremony he deserves!

LUKER IS SUNYAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Sophomore defender Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) of The College at Brockport men's ice hockey team has been selected as the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Hockey Player of the Week for the week ending on Feb. 2.

Luker helped the Golden Eagles get an important 4-1 conference win over Potsdam on Friday night. He scored the eventual game winner and added an assist. Against #1 Plattsburgh, he also netted a goal and an assist. His assist helped the Golden Eagles tie up the game halfway through the third period, but Plattsburgh managed to score in the final minute of play for the win

BROCKPORT COMES SO CLOSE TO BEATING PLATTSBURGH

Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY) scored a goal and added an assist as The College at Brockport took a 3-1 lead against Plattsburgh, the top ranked team in the country, but the Cardinals rebounded for three third period goals to steal a 5-4 victory Saturday night in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game in the Tuttle North Ice Arena in Brockport.

Jake Taylor (Port Perry, ONT) and Luker scored goals in the first period as Brockport (6-10-3 Overall, 3-6-1 SUNYAC) took a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of action.

In the second period, Plattsburgh (16-3-2, 9-1-2) cut the lead in half with a power play goal in the first two minutes of the period. Brockport regained the two-goal advantage two minutes later when freshman Rob Hall (Schaumberg, IL) scored.

Another Plattsburgh power play goal just over three minutes later made it a 3-2 Brockport lead.

The Cardinals scored twice in the first half of the third period to take a 4-3 lead before Jesse Facchini (Mississauga, ONT) scored to knot the game at 4-4 with 8:57 remaining in the game.

As time was winding down in the final period, Plattsburgh scored the go-ahead and eventual winning goal with 1:01 left on the clock.

Brockport pulled goalie Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT) for the extra attacker for the final minute of the game but was unable to score the equalizer.

Luker finished with two points on a goal and an assist while Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY) added two assists. Green finished with 28 saves including 11 in the first period when Brockport took the early lead.

BROCKPORT BEATS POTSDAM 4-1

Sophomores Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY) and Chase Nieuwendyk (Georgetown, ONT) along with freshman Andrew Parks (Orillia, ONT) each scored a goal and had an assist leading The College at Brockport Hockey team to a 4-1 victory over Potsdam Friday night in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game at the Tuttle North Ice Arena in Brockport.

Potsdam (6-12 Overall, 1-8 SUNYAC) applied a majority of the pressure early in the game and had two power play opportunities in the opening minutes of the contest but sophomore goalie Jared Lockhurst (Caledon, ONT) made several key saves to keep the game scoreless for the first 13 minutes of action.

Brockport (6-9-3, 3-5-1) struck first when Chris Cangro (Holbrook, NY) score a minute into the first Golden Eagle power play opportunity of the night with assists from Luker and Nieuwendyk to give Brockport the 1-0 lead.

In the second period, Brockport took a 2-0 lead with Luker's goal on a hard slap shot from the point that went into the upper corner of the net over the goalie's shoulder.

Potsdam trimmed the lead to 2-1 late in the second period but a Nieuwendyk goal in the first minute of the third period with just two seconds remaining in a power play opportunity that carried over from the second period.

With less than seven minutes remaining in the third period, Brockport added an insurance goal as Parks took a centering pass from behind the net as he entered the slot area and fired a shot past the Potsdam goalie for the 4-1 Brockport lead.

Lockhurst was strong all night making 38 saves in the Brockport goal. Shane Talarico made 25 saves for the Bears as Potsdam had a 39-29 advantage in shots.

Brockport was 2-for-6 with the man advantage while holding Potsdam to 0-for-7 on its opportunities.