FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State men's hockey team has been idle since before the Thanksgiving break. They should have no trouble quickly getting back into the swing of things this weekend.
On Friday, the Blue Devils visit SUNYAC rival Buffalo State. The two Western New York schools have staged some classic battles in recent seasons, most recently a 3-2 Fredonia State win in Buffalo during the first round of the 2011 SUNYAC Tournament.
"This is always the great games of the year," Blue Devil head coach
Jeff Meredith said. "Battles, energy, momentum swings, all the things that playoff hockey are about and this is what we get tomorrow."
The Bengals enter the game in third place in the conference, one spot ahead of the Blue Devils. Each team comes in at different stages of their overall game. The Bengals are 5-4 overall and 4-3 in the SUNYAC for eight points. The Blue Devils are 4-4-2 overall and 2-3-2 in the conference, tied with Potsdam ad Geneseo for fourth place.
"They are playing very good hockey right now," Meredith said of Buffalo State, coached by former Blue Devil assistant Nick Carriere, "and we are a team that is on the cusp of really clicking. I think this game comes at a great time in our season as this is just the kind of game to shake us loose and jump us into the next level of play."
Game time at the Buffalo State Sports Arena is 7 p.m.
The second game Fredonia State's weekend is Saturday at Elmira, an ECAC West team that already has some impressive wins this season.
"They are an explosive team offensively," Meredith said of Elmira. "We will need to play pretty smart with and without the puck. (It'll be) a great measuring stick."
In-game coverage of both games will be available via links on the Fredonia State athletics website.
