POTSDAM, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State men's hockey team hit the ice in Potsdam Friday evening to start their 2014-15 campaign and got the season started on the right foot with a 4-2 victory.
 
The Bears started the scoring in the first period when former Plattsburgh State Cardinal Zach Blake lit the lamp for Potsdam. Tommy Telesca assisted on the Blake goal with 7:48 remaining to give the Bears a 1-0 lead early.
 
The Cardinals would get five power plays in the second period but were unable to solve Bears goaltender Jon Hall through the first 40 minutes.
 
However, Plattsburgh would explode in the third period taking Potsdam by storm, scoring three in a row in less than four minutes to take 3-1 advantage on the Bears.
 
Plattsburgh would get on the board 2:16 into the third period when senior captain Brandon Beadow blasted a shot from the point after receiving a pass from senior transfer Connor Toomey.
 
Thirty three seconds later the Cardinals would take the lead when another senior, Michael Cassidy netted his first of two on the night. Kevin Emmerling picked up an assist on the goal.
 
Cassidys second gave the Cards a 3-1 lead when he tipped in a Connor Toomey shot beating Hall.
 
Potsdam would respond however with 9:15 left in regulation when Blake scored his second of the game this time on the power play.
 
Freshman Aryton Valente would provide the dagger though when he put the Cardinals up 4-2 with just 5:47 left in the third period. Valente scored after being setup from fellow freshman Matt Quilty.
 
Spencer Finney finished with 29 saves on 31 shots for the Cardinals while Hall tallied 35 saves on 39 shots.

The Cardinals did show a blemsh as they finished the night 0-8 on the power play. Potsdam went 1-3 on the man advantage.
 
With the win Plattsburgh picks up an early season SUNYAC road win as they move to 1-0-0. The Cardinals will hit the road again Friday and Saturday in a pair of SUNYAC games against Brockport and Geneseo respectively. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. puck drops.