4th Quarter Rally Pushes Potsdam Past Utica
Utica, NY (2/23/2013) – SUNY Potsdam junior attack Rob Kunz netted the game-winner with 25 seconds left in regulation to hand the Bears a 7-6, come-from-behind, victory over host Utica College Saturday afternoon at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. The Bears (3-1) trailed 5-3 headed into the final quarter and outscored the Pioneers 4-1 in the last 15 minutes of action to secure their second one goal victory of Utica (3-2) in as many tries.
Freshman goalie Trey Adams made a career-high 15 saves as the Pioneers were outshot 43-25 on the afternoon. Utica senior Ben Winkler led the way
for UC with two goals, while Justin Edelstein, Joe Schoen, Trent Jacobs and Sean Flanagan each recorded one goal for the Pioneers.
Potsdam jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first quarter behind goals from Robbie Ashlaw and Kevin Logan to hand the Bears a one goal advantage in the first 15 minutes of action. UC’s Joe Schoen netted the Pioneers first quarter tally off an assist from sophomore Zack Stevenson.
Each team exchanges goals midway through the second quarter as the visitors took a 3-2 lead into the halftime intermission. Trent Jacobs scored a man-up goal, his eighth of the year, with 5:12 remaining in the second quarter to cut UC’s deficit to one goal, 3-2, prior to the half.
The Pioneers made their charge in the third quarter, outscoring the Bears 3-0 in the 15 minute stretch. Sophomore defender Sean Flanagan netted his first goal of the young season at the 11:23 ledger to knot the score at 3-3, before Winkler netted his team-best 13th goal of the season just 1:15 later to put the Pioneers on top, 4-3, for the first time all afternoon. Utica took a two goal advantage headed into the fourth quarter when senior Justin Edelstein scored a man-up goal, his 10th of the season, with 1:57 left in the third.
The Bears netted two goals in the first 9:32 of the fourth quarter to tie the game back up at 5-5 with 5:28 to play. Winkler gave the Pioneers the lead right back, 6-5, when he ripped home a man-up goal from 15 yards out just 37 seconds after Potsdam tied the game at 5-5.
Potsdam tied the game right back up at 6-6 with 4:12 left when Ed Doherty netted his second of the season, off an assist from Rob Kunz. After consecutive timeouts by both team with 45 seconds left in the game, Kunz scored the game-winner, with 25 ticks left on the clock, to essentially seal the comeback win for the Bears.
The Pioneers won the ensuing faceoff, but could not muster possession until there was just four seconds left on the game clock. UC took a time out and set up a screen play for Winkler, but the desperation shot sailed wide as time expired.
Tom Byrne caused three turnovers and picked up four ground balls, while Trey Adams and Dan Duffy each picked up five ground balls for the Pioneers.
Jared Flath won 7-of-12 face-offs for the visitors and Potsdam goalie Stefan Sloma picked up a game-high seven ground balls while stopping six shots.
UC opens up Empire 8 Conference play on Wednesday when it travels to Nazareth College to take on the Golden Flyers at 4 p.m.