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BOX SCORE)
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia State remained in the SUNYAC playoff hunt in convincing fashion with an 8-0 victory Friday over the Potsdam Bears at the Steele Hall Ice Arena.
Steve Rizer had a pair of goals and goaltender
Mark Friesen made 27 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Blue Devils improved to 6-7-1 in the SUNYAC and 11-11-1 overall. They entered the night holding down the sixth and final SUNYAC playoff spot.
Rizer opened the scoring at 3:54 of the first period when he popped in a teammate's pass off the sideboards.
Mat Hehr scored a power-play goal -- the Blue Devils' were 3 of 9 on the night -- on a deflected shot to make it 2-0.
The Blue Devils erupted for five goals in the second period. Rizer started the uprising with his second goal of the night, and third of the season, when he converted a 2-on-1 rush following a Potsdam turnover in its offensive end.
Ben Waldman upped the lead with a power-play goal on a slapshot through a screen in front of Potsdam starting goaltender Kevin McFarland. After goals by
Brett Mueller and
Billy Sanborn made it 6-0, McFarland was pulled in favor of Trevor O'Neill, who gave up the final two Fredonia State goals.
Alex Perkins closed out the second-period scoring when he skated from behind the net and shot from the right circle.
Bryan Ross scored the lone goal of the third period, the Blue Devils' third power-play tally.
The loss eliminated the Bears from SUNYAC playoff contention. They fell to 6-15-1 overall and 4-10-0 in the conference.
The Blue Devils take on the Plattsburgh Cardinals at 7 p.m. Saturday. It's the fifth annual Pink The Rink game. The Steele Hall Ice Arena doors open at 6 p.m.
