POTSDAM, N.Y. - The SUNY Potsdam women's hockey team (3-6-1, 1-4-1 NEWHL) rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to defeat Buffalo State (0-10, 0-5) 6-3 on Saturday afternoon. Junior forward Kaylee Merrill (Wasilla, Alaska/Anchorage North Stars) stayed hot, scoring twice for the Bears. Junior forward Emily DellaNeve (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) had a goal and an assist and senior forward Stephanie Dunlap (Bath, Mich./Meijer U19 AAA) added two assists.
The Bengals got on the board first at 5:39 with a goal from senior forward Angelina Cruzal (Campbell, Calif./San Jose Jr. Sharks). Potsdam outshot their opponents 12-6 in the period, but were down at the first intermission.
The offenses exploded in the second period, combining for five goals. At 5:20, senior defenseman Tori Fadeley (Buffalo, N.Y./Cazenovia Chiefs) made it a 2-0 contest after a burying a pass from behind the net at the left post. Exactly one minute later, Merrill netted her first. She deflected a pass from junior defenseman Taylor Swamp (Akwesasne, N.Y./St. Lawrence Steel) out of the air and past Buffalo State goalie Jessica Auge (Laingsburg, Mich./Honeybaked Detroit).
Graduate student assistant captain Allie Banas (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) picked up the second assist. The Bears tied the game at 11:01 as freshman defender Sarah Barrett (Tonawanda, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) knocked home the rebound from a DellaNeve shot. Dunlap had the second assist. As the momentum was seemingly shifting completely in Potsdam's direction, Buffalo State scored again.
Cruzal made it netted her second at 13:51, but it was the last highlight for the Bengals. At 15:17, Dunlap won the draw at the right circle in the offensive zone. The puck bounced off boards to junior defenseman Alex Quinn (Potsdam, N.Y./St. Lawrence Steel), who fired from the right point. A screened Auge didn't see the puck as it snuck in past her. The contest was tied after 40 minutes.
Merrill netted the game-winner at 5:36 of the third period after her rebound was knocked into the net by a Bengal. Graduate student captain Alexis Clark (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) and freshman defenseman Megan Sheehan (Akron, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) each assisted on the goal. Just over two minutes later, freshman forward Lyvia Chambers (Buffalo, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Eagles) gave the Bears some insurance with assists from Dunlap and freshman forward Karley Green (Potsdam, N.Y./St. Lawrence Steel).
With 1:20 left, Buffalo State called timeout and pulled Auge for an extra attacker. With time ticking down, senior assistant captain Ellie Cleary (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) took possession of the puck in Potsdam's end and send a cross ice pass to DellaNeve. DellaNeve stepped over center ice and sent a long shot into the net with one second left to close the scoring.
Barrett earned her second career win with 19 saves. Auge stopped 44 shots. The Bengals were 0-for-2 on the power play.
The Bears are back in action next Friday when they head to Vermont for a meeting with Colby College in the first round of the Castleton Invitational at 7 p.m.
Buffalo State drops 6-3 decision at Potsdam
(Courtesy Buffalo State)
POTSDAM, NY— The Buffalo State women's hockey team lost on the road to Potsdam, 6-3, in a NEWHL contest on Saturday afternoon.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Potsdam – 6, Buffalo State – 3
LOCATION: Maxcy Ice Arena – Potsdam, NY
RECORDS: Potsdam (3-6-1, 1-4-1 SUNYAC), Buffalo State (0-10-0, 0-5-0 SUNYAC)
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE
- Angelina Cruzal (Campbell, CA/San Jose Jr. Sharks) scored two goals to lead Buffalo State.
- Tori Fadeley (Buffalo, NY/Cazenovia Chiefs) also scored for the Bengals.
- Rianna Schacher (Westminster, CO/Minnesota Revolution) added two assists.
- Jessica Auge (Laingsburg, Mich./Honeybaked Detroit) made 44 saves in goal.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Buffalo State got on the board just five minutes into the opening period, created by some excellent team passing. Carys Ursell (Calgary, AB/Calgary Fire) sent a pass from inside the defensive zone to a streaking Bethany Horvatits (Elma, NY/Cazenovia Chiefs) in the Potsdam zone. Horvatits sent a drop pass to Cruzal at the right faceoff circle, who snapped a wrist shot into the top corner of the net for the early 1-0 lead.
- Auge made a few fine saves at close range to maintain the Buffalo State advantage into the first intermission.
- The Bengals had a few good opportunities on the power-play in the opening three minutes thwarted by good saves by the Potsdam goaltender.
- Fadeley doubled the Buffalo State advantage five minutes into the second period, as Lexi Lazore (Akwesasne, NY/Ontario Hockey Academy) sent a pass out front of goal from below the goal line to Fadeley, who sent a shot low and into the back of the net.
- Potsdam responded with a goal just one minute later off a redirection by Stephanie Dunlap, then drew even with another goal on a rebound by Rebecca Holmes just past the midway point of the period.
- Cruzal scored her second of the game to help the Bengals regain the lead two minutes later, as Schacher carried the puck from behind the Buffalo State goal line into the offensive zone and passed off to Cruzal who rocketed a shot short-side from the left faceoff circle.
- Potsdam equalized ninety seconds later from a shot from the right point by Alex Quinn.
- The score remained tied at 3-3 until Potsdam took the lead five minutes into the third period, as an initial shot was saved by Auge but the puck deflected in front of the net behind her and into the net.
- The Bears added another goal on a rebound with 13 minutes remaining, and an empty-net goal with under a second remaining for the 6-3 final score.
FOR THE FOES
- Six different scored a goal for the Bears in the victory.
UP NEXT
The Bengals return to action next Saturday for their final game of 2021. Buffalo State hosts Morrisville State in a NEWHL matchup at the Ice Arena, with puck drop set for 3 p.m.