The road to the SUNYAC playoffs is never easy. It
often seems like entering the postseason goes right down to the wire for the
Golden Eagles. This season is no exception. This weekend will decide who’s in or
who’s out.
The bracket below shows where Brockport stands
going into the last weekend of play. The Golden Eagles are in eighth place and
in a battle with Cortland to get the sixth and final playoff spot. Seventh
place Morrisville is officially off of Brockport’s radar because the Mustangs
have no more games scheduled. Brockport has two this weekend – as does
Cortland.
Cortland has two home games. Friday’s affair is
against Buffalo State, one of the best teams in the east with one of the best --
if not THE best -- goalies in all of DIII. The Bengals look to take this one.
Saturday’s game could go either way as they host Fredonia, a team with a slight
edge over Cortland. But it is senior night on home ice, so it wouldn’t be out
of the question for Cortland to win, especially if Fredonia rests some of their
better talents because they’ll have their position locked up.
So, Cortland should get 2 points this weekend.
What about Brockport?
They also have two home games. Brockport hosts
Postdam on Friday, which happens to rank last in the conference with just one
SUNYAC win this year. Brockport should take that game. There’s two points.
Saturday’s game will be tough and it’s almost
certain, based upon the Cortland/Fredonia observations above, that the Golden
Eagles will have to pull off an upset of Plattsburgh (in a rare 4:00 game at
Tuttle North). Brockport already did that last semester, blanking the Cardinals
at Plattsburgh. But, this is a different team. Plattsburgh has played angry and
determined of late and they are 14-8-1. Their coach Bob Emery will be motivated
to overcome the embarrassment of being blanked at home, so he will ensure that
they have their “A” game. It will be a tough game. But the Golden Eagles are hungry
to taste the postseason so expect some fireworks.
It’s nerve-wracking, yes, but this is what big time
hockey is all about!!
