PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team hosted its home opener Friday night in grand fashion, defeating Fredonia 5-1.
 
Despite the 5-1 victory, it was the Blue Devils that jumped on the board first, late in the first period.
 
Luke Rivera scored the Fredonia goal unassisted when his shot trickled through the legs of Cardinals goaltender Brady Rouleau to make it 1-0.
 
The Cardinals would respond in the second period, scoring two goals both off the stick of senior forward, Kevin Emmerling.
 
Emmerling scored his first goal swinging at the puck one handed as the puck ricocheted off a Fredonia defender from an initial Dillan Fox shot.
 
The Northbridge, Mass., native would be then be the beneficiary of a gift after a Blue Devil's defender turned it over in its own zone. The turnover hit Emmerling right on the tape setting him up for a slap shot right on the left dot going top far corner over the glove hand of Jeff Flager.
 
Plattsburgh State would strike for three more goals in the third including goals from Pat Egan and Ross Sloan who netted their first collegiate goals of their careers in Cardinal uniforms.
 
Egan made it 3-1 when he received a cross crease pass from Aryton Valente who crashed down from his defensive spot, setting up the freshman for an easy one-timer.
 
Junior defenseman, Rich Botting made it 4-1 on a drop pass from Sloan in the slot. Botting would send his wrist shot over the glove of Flager.
 
Botting would return the favor to Sloan on the power play, setting up the freshman for a tap-in on the doorstep of the net to make it 5-1.
 
Botting originally took a slap shot from the same spot he took his wrister from, but this time it was blocked by a Fredonia defender. The Binghamton, N.Y., native would gather his rebound and thread a pass to Sloan far past on top of the crease for the easy goal.
 
Rouleau finished the night with 25 saves in securing his first win of the season. Flager corralled 42 saves in the losing effort. 

The Cardinals finished the night 2-5 on the power play and 3-3 on the penalty kill.
 
Emmerling now has five goals in the first two games including four on the man advantage.
 
Plattsburgh State picks up its first State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) win and moves to 2-0-0. Fredonia suffers its first loss of the season falling to 1-1-1 (0-1-1 SUNYAC)
 
The fifth ranked Cardinals will return to the ice Saturday night at 7 p.m. when they welcome the Buffalo State Bengals for another SUNYAC matchup.