November 21, 2003

GENEVA, N.Y.—Potsdam State scored four first period goals on its way to an 8-5 victory over Hobart College in men’s non-conference hockey action at the Geneva Recreation Complex tonight. First-year Ryan McCarthy (Brampton, Ontario) tallied two goals and two assists for the Bears in the game.

McCarthy opened scoring for the Potsdam (4-5) 11 seconds into the game after a win by Chris Lee (MacTier, Ontario) on the opening faceoff. The Statesmen (2-2-2) tied the game just 1:04 later when sophomore Matt Garman’s (Wexford, Pa.) strike from in front of the goal found the net.

The rest of the period was all Potsdam as the Bears scored three goals for a 4-1 lead at the first intermission. Hobart came storming back in the second period, getting a power-play goal from Craig Levey (Missassauga, Ontario) at 4:18 to cut the lead to two. Senior Carl Michaelson (Hudson, Quebec) made it a one goal game halfway through the session, connecting on a faceoff win by Tyler Dufour (Whistler, British Columbia).

The Bears answered with a power-play score of their own by Scott Craig (Ottawa, Ontario) and an even-handed goal by Myles Palliser (Lake Cowichan, British Columbia) over the next eight minutes, regaining the three goal edge. Awarded another power play opportunity late in the second stanza, Levey took a great pass from sophomore Greg Gallagher (Framingham, Mass.) on the near side of the ice and fired it past Potsdam goalie Ryan Venturelli (Bracebridge, Ontario) to make it 6-4 heading into the final period.

First-year Marc Borden (Glenview, Ill.) made the game interesting with a perfect shot that flew just under the crossbar to make it a one-goal game again with eight minutes left. Four minutes later Louis David-Demers (Ste. Marine, Quebec) put the game away for good for the Bears, slipping a centering pass into the goal on a three on one break.

The Statesmen had 38 shots and were 2-5 on the power play, while Potsdam took 28 shots on net and converted two of their three extra man opportunities.

Junior goaltender Adam Lavelle (Chelmsford, Mass.) had 20 stops for Hobart and Potsdam’s Venturelli grabbed 38 saves.

The Statesmen return to action on Nov. 22, hosting Williams College at 4 p.m., at the Geneva Recreation Complex.