PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Strong play on special teams helped the Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team edge Buffalo State on Friday evening at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena, as the Cardinals scored two shorthanded goals and one power-play goal in a 4-3 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) victory to clinch a spot in the conference tournament.
 
The Cardinals are one of three teams to have clinched a playoff spot already, joining first-place Oswego State and second-place SUNY Geneseo. Plattsburgh State, which has 23 points, is three points ahead of fourth-place SUNY Cortland, four points ahead of fifth-place SUNY Brockport and eight points ahead of sixth-place Fredonia.
 
After a first-period goal at even strength, the Cardinals' final three goals came on special teams, which included a shorthanded, unassisted goal by sophomore forward Trey Thomas (Williams Lake, British Columbia) at 14:29 of the third period that served as the game winner.
 
The Cardinals held the Bengals scoreless in seven power-play chances and went 1-for-8 themselves with the extra attacker. Plattsburgh State finished the game with a 53-20 edge in shots on goal.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 12-7-3 overall (8-4-1 SUNYAC) with the win and hosts Fredonia tomorrow at 7 p.m. Buffalo State falls to 4-15-0 overall (2-9-0 SUNYAC) with the loss and visits SUNY Potsdam tomorrow at 7 p.m.
 
Sophomore forward Paul Bryer (Clarkston, Mich./Islanders Hockey Club) opened scoring just 2:23 into the contest. Senior forward Christian DiFelice (Thorold, Ontario/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) passed to sophomore forward Joey Mancuso (Pottstown, Pa./Connecticut Jr. Rangers), who fed the puck right back to DiFelice in the slot. DiFelice took a shot that was padded away by the Bengal goaltender, but Bryer took advantage of an empty net and fired home the rebound from the left circle.
 
Buffalo State evened the score at 1-all at 5:06 of the first period, as junior forward Nikita Kozyrev forced a turnover behind the goal line in the Cardinals' zone before skating out in front of the net and scoring high glove side.
 
At 12:04 of the first, the Bengals took a 2-1 lead while the two teams were skating 4-on-4. Senior forward A.J. Marinelli banked a pass to junior forward Tyler Vanuden in the left corner, and Vanuden skated around the Cardinal defense into the high slot and wound up scoring high blocker side. Junior defenseman Lucas Patton also earned an assist on the goal.
 
Plattsburgh State scored on the power play at 5:36 of the second to even the score at 2-all. Junior defenseman Jacob Modry (Albany, N.Y./Merrimack College) wheeled the puck to Thomas at the top of the right circle, and Thomas sent the puck down low to Mancuso on the weak side, who one-timed a shot into the back of the net.
 
Sophomore forward Pavel Kharin (Ann Arbor, Mich./Johnstown Tomahawks) put the Cardinals up by one with a shorthanded goal at 17:16 of the second. DiFelice flicked a pass to senior defenseman Matt Araujo (Brookhaven, N.Y./Boston Jr. Rangers) on the left point, and Araujo took a shot that Kharin redirected into the goal along the right post.
 
At 7:26 of the third period, Buffalo State tied the game once again. First-year forward Jared Figueroa took a shot that first-year goaltender Jacob Hearne (Ennismore, Ontario/Toronto Jr. Canadiens) turned away with a pad save, and Figueroa collected the rebound behind the goal line. Figueroa then passed to senior forward Andrew Logar out in front, and Logar scored low glove side from the low slot.
 
Thomas scored Plattsburgh State's second shorthanded goal of the game at 14:29 of the third to put the Cardinals up, 4-3. Plattsburgh State cleared the puck down to the Buffalo State goalie, and the Bengal netminder tried to find a teammate in the defensive zone with a pass toward the right side. Thomas intercepted the pass inside the left face-off circle and banked a tight-angle shot off the inside of the right post that ended up in the back of the net.
 
Buffalo State twice pulled its goaltender in the waning minutes of the contest, but Plattsburgh State never allowed the Bengals to net the equalizer.
 
Hearne made 17 saves in the win for the Cardinals, while junior goaltender Emil Norrman turned away 49 shots in the loss for the Bengals.

UFirst Federal Credit Union is the official Zamboni sponsor of Plattsburgh State men's and women's ice hockey.