BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Fredonia State split its two games this season with the Buffalo State Bengals. The rubber match is Wednesday night in the first round of the SUNYAC men's hockey tournament.
Game time is 7 .p.m. at the Buffalo State Ice Arena. Gates will open at 6 p.m. with tickets $5 for adults and $2 for students.
Each team has won on the other's ice this season. The Bengals won the first meeting, 2-1, in overtime at Steele Hall last November. The Blue Devils bounced back in January for a 6-5 win at Buffalo State.
The Bengals finished the regular season by winning three of its last four conference games. That lifted them into third place with a 8-5-3 mark, their best finish ever in the SUNYAC. In addition, the Bengals' 12-10-3 overall records ties the school record for wins. The Blue Devils are the No. 6 seed with a 7-8-1 SUNYAC record (12-12-1 overall).
According to Fredonia State records, this will be the 53rd meeting between the two teams -- the third time in the SUNYAC Tournament. The Blue Devils hold a wide 40-9-3 advantage all-time, including playoff wins in 2007 and 2008.
The 2007 victory was memorable for a couple of reasons. It was Bengals' first home playoff game (this Wednesday is the second). It was also the start of a three-game road winning streak by the Blue Devils which resulted in the program's third SUNYAC championship.
The Blue Devils' 2008 playoff victory over the Bengals came at Steele Hall, 4-2.
The Blue Devils will be without one of their top players, senior
Jordan Oye, who must sit out the game after receiving a game disqualification Saturday at Morrisville State. In four seasons, Oye has scored 44 goals and 65 assists for 109 points, 13th most in program history.
This season, Oye has a team-high 16 goals -- one more than junior
Bryan Ross -- and 22 assists, while Ross is the top point-getter with 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points. As a team, the Blue Devils have outscored their opposition, 164-115.
In goal, Blue Devil freshman
Mark Friesen has posted a 7-8-1 record. In 18 games, Friesen has a 2.59 goals-against average with a 91.3 save percentage.
