PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.-Third-ranked SUNY Plattsburgh (6-0, 5-0 SUNYAC) halted the No. 12 SUNY Potsdam’s (6-1, 6-1) six-game winning streak with a convincing 7-1 victory at Stafford Ice Arena on Saturday night. The Cardinals scored four power-play goals in the contest and Cole Stallard recorded a hat trick. Senior forward Billy Pacalli (Deer Park, N.Y./New York Bobcats) scored for the Bears.
It was all Cardinals in the first period, keeping the pressure on Potsdam’s defense and sophomore goaltender Brendan McMenimen (Merrimack, Mass./Islanders Hockey Club). Plattsburgh grabbed a 1-0 lead at 4:04 as Nick Belger made the most of the Cardinals’ first power-play opportunity. Less than two minutes later Cole Stallard doubled the lead with an other power-play goal. Despite the deficit, it was the final minute of the opening stanza that was the most harmful to the Bears’ fortunes. Dillan Fox made it a 3-0 contest at 19:25 and just eight seconds later Kevin Emmerling scored Plattsburgh’s fourth goal.
At 4:17 of the second period, Stallard scored his second on the power play to extend the lead to five. Potsdam played its best hockey of the evening after the goal, outshooting the Cardinals 10-8 in the second period. Pascalli finally got the Bears’ on the board at 5:24 with assists from freshmen Dom Horvath (Toledo, Ohio/Brantford 99ers) and Mike Sweeney (Pittsburgh, Pa./PAL Islanders). Potsdam trailed 5-1 after 40 minutes.
Plattsburgh flexed its offensive muscles again in the third period. At 9:41, Stallard completed his hat trick with the Cardinals’ fourth goal on the man advantage. The marker ended the evening for McMenimen, who was replaced by freshman Nate Skidmore (Syracuse, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres). Skidmore was solid in his first collegiate action, stopping 11 shots in the final 10:19. However, Aryton Valente tacked on a seventh goal at 15:06 to close the scoring.
McMenimen finished with 26 saves, while Spencer Finney finished with 21 for the win. Potsdam was 0-for-1 on the man advantage, while Plattsburgh was 4-for-5.
Potsdam looks to regain its momentum next Saturday, when it travels to Saratoga Springs to face Manhattanville College at 5 p.m. in the first round of the Skidmore Invitational.
