Post Classifieds
Team splits weekend pair, prepare for rematch with No. 2 Oswego
By Aaron Garland
On February 5, 2013
If they weren't already aware, the Buffalo State men's hockey team was reminded over the weekend
how competitive the SUNYAC is this year.
Close games in-conference have been a recurring theme for them all season, as they played two more at
the Ice Arena this past weekend. The Bengals (10-10-2, 5-7-1 SUNYAC) lost 3-2 to No. 9 Plattsburgh State
Friday and rallied from a goal down to defeat Potsdam by an identical score Saturday.
More than half of the Bengals' conference games have been one-goal affairs. They are 3-4 in such games
and 4-5 overall in games decided by a goal.
Despite struggling at times against teams lower in the standings, the Bengals have had no problem
playing competitively with the nation's best. The hard-fought loss to Plattsburgh makes it the third time
they have fell to a top-10 team by only a goal.
Head coach Nick Carriere actually finds it tougher to prepare for teams like Potsdam, which currently sits
at the bottom of the conference and beat the Bengals earlier in the year, proving the SUNYACs parity.
"It's easy to get up for a top-2, 3 team in the country," Carriere said. "Our guys, they get up for the big
games, and the challenge is getting the consistency to get up for the games that might not matter as
much."
On Friday, the Cardinals struck for the game's first goal 10:25 in, but Mac Balson answered less than two
minutes later to nod the score at 1.
Goaltender Kevin Carr, who finished with 28 saves, felt the first period was the difference in the game,
as the Bengals were outshot 13-8.
"We need to start off better, our first period wasn't very good," Carr said. "We need to come out
stronger, can't wait until the second and third period to start picking it up when playing a good team like
that."
Buffalo State did pick up their play, as the teams each had 18 shots in the final 40 minutes. After
Plattsburgh (14-6-1, 9-2-1) made it 3-1 at 11:35 of the second, the Bengals made their comeback
attempt.
Shane Avery netted an unassisted tally for his sixth of the year with just over five minutes to go in the
contest. The Bengals created many quality scoring chances, but it was largely due to not converting that
left them short of the upset.
"We missed a couple of wide-open nets and two-on-ones that we just didn't execute on, and we had
good chances," Carriere said. "It was a pretty tight game, back-and-forth. Kevin Carr played well, but we
blew some major assignments that gave them a couple of the goals that they scored."
The Bengals welcomed Taylor McGraw back to the lineup Saturday after missing the previous 20 games
with an injury. With a logjam in the middle of the SUNYAC standings, McGraw's return came at an
opportune time.
Playing in just his second game after getting injured in the season opener against Penn State, McGraw
scored the deciding third goal with 4:24 remaining in the third against the Bears (6-14-1, 3-9).
On top of his first goal of the year, McGraw added an assist on Trevor McKinney's 11 th goal of the season
that tied the score at 2 with 7:43 left in the second. Being a spectator for much of the year, McGraw was
glad to be back in the lineup and contributing.
"It's frustrating anytime you have to sit out, regardless of the circumstances," he said. "But just being
on the bench, hearing the chatter, being around everything, win or loss, it's nice to be part of something
again."
The Bengals outshot the Bears, 29-25, with Carr making 23 saves for his tenth win of the season.
The victory makes the junior the winningest goaltender in school history with 32. He surpassed Sean
Sheehan for the all-time mark.
Captain Mike Zannella netted his team-leading 15th goal to open the scoring midway through the
first with Brett Hope and Nick Melligan picking up assists. The Bengals mounted their comeback after
Potsdam scored the next two goals, as this time they were able to finish their opportunities.
"I think we created a lot of scoring chances, and that's what we want to continue to do," Carriere said.
"... I don't think it was something we were trying to. I think our guys just did a pretty good job of playing
the way we need to play."
With three regular season games remaining - all of which are home conference matchups - the
Bengals sit tied for fourth in the conference with Fredonia, but presently hold the tiebreaker. The top six
teams make it into the playoffs, and the Bengals currently have three more points than seventh-place
Morrisville.
Buffalo State will play host to No. 2 Oswego Friday and then eighth-place Cortland Saturday. Both
faceoffs are slated for 7 p.m.
The Bengals lost at then top-ranked Oswego Nov. 16, 5-4. Based on the way his team played with the
Lakers in that game, Carriere believes they can turn their one-goal loss trend against top-10 opponents
the other way Friday.
"Looking back at that game, we donated a few of those goals, so we know that we can play with them,"
Carriere said. "I think as long as we're sharp in our systems, and we do good things special teams-wise
and play disciplined more, we have a chance to win the game."
Aaron Garland can be reached by email at garland.record@live.com
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