PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- Fredonia State's bid to win a fourth SUNYAC championship was thwarted Saturday at the hands of the Plattsburgh Cardinals, 4-1, at sold-out Stafford Arena.
The Blue Devils (14-13-1) were attempting to win their third road game in the SUNYAC Tournament, just as they did in 2007, when they won their most recent conference crown. The Cardinals, however, had a different plan and took the play to their guests right from the opening minutes to claim SUNYAC's automatic NCAA berth.
Plattsburgh scored twice in each of the first two periods and hit two posts in the third. The Cardinals limited the Blue Devils to 21 shots, their second lowest total of the season, and received solid goaltending from Josh Leis. Named the SUNYAC Tournament's Most Valuable Player, Leis made 20 saves in the championship game.
Ben Waldman and
Steve Rizer made the all-tournament team from Fredonia State. Waldman scored the lone Blue Devil goal, his fifth of the post-season. He and
Alex Morton (one goal) accounted for all the goals in Fredonia State's three playoff games.
The Cardinals dominated play throughout the early portion of the first period, yet had to wait until they had a power-play chance before scoring. But once they did, the floodgates opened.
The Blue Devils killed one penalty, but could not dodge the bullet a second time later in the first period as Eric Satim converted a Plattsburgh power-play at 15:15 with a slapshot from the right wing. The Cardinals added to their lead with 18.7 seconds left when Cody Adams one-timed a high, high shot from the top of the left circle after he jumped into the play and took a teammate's pass out of the far corner.
The Cardinals made it 3-0 at 14:14 of the second period.
Mark Friesen made the initial save of a shot out of the corner, but could not slide across the crease in time to stop a rebound shot by Ryan Farnan. Less than one minute later, Dylan Clarke scored to make it 4-0 as he deflected a teammate's slapshot from the left point.
Waldman scored the only goal of the third period when he picked up a bouncing puck and connected from the low slot with 1:22 remaining to ruin Leis's shutout bid.
The champioship, witnessed by an announced crowd of 2,006 at the Stafford Arena, was the Cardinals' 20th in program history. Oswego, with 11, is next closest.
It was the final collegiate game for five Blue Devil seniors: forwards Morton,
Jordan Oye, and
Dave Ridos, and defensemen Rizer and
Chris de Bruyn.
