BUFFALO, N.Y. --- Fredonia State will return to Buffalo State in the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament next Wednesday following the outcome of Friday's regular-season finale.
The Blue Devils dropped a 4-2 decision to the host Bengals, who claimed the No. 4 playoff seed and the right to host the first-round rematch.
The Blue Devils, with a 5-9-2 conference record, earned the No. 5 seed by virtue of Potsdam's loss Friday to Oswego.
Matt Owczarczak and Jared Wynia scored for the Blue Devils (7-15-3 overall).
Mac Balson. Nick Melligan, Shane Avery, and Matt Bessing had the Buffalo State goals. Avery's was the game-winner. It came during a 5-on-3 power play late in the second period.
The Blue Devils put themselves a 2-0 hole early in the first period, yet it wasn't as deep as when the teams met Nov. 30 at Steele Hall. In the earlier meeting, the Bengals scored five goals in the first 12 minutes en route a 7-3 win.
This time, Owczarczak made it 2-1 with a power-play goal in the first period before Wynia added a power-play goal with a one-timer from the right circle early in the second.
The 2-2 tie stooed until right after two Blue Devils drew penalties on the same whistle. The subsequent 5-on-3 resulted in Avery's go-ahead goal. Bessing scored late in the third period while the Blue Devils were pushing up trying to score the equalizer.
Bengal goaltender Kevin Carr finished with 17 saves while Fredonia State's Mark Friesen stopped 21 of 25 shots.
Wednesday's first-round game is a scheduled 7 p.m. faceoff at the Buffalo State Ice Arena. The full SUNYAC men's hockey schedule will be available Sunday at sunyac.com.
