Box Score GENEVA, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam hockey team defeated Hobart College 5-2 this evening. An over-powering Bears offense proved too much for Hobart as they dropped to 6-13-3 on the season.

In the first period, two quick goals by Kevin Shaver and Joe Wlodarczyk gave Potsdam a 2-0 lead just three minutes into the game. The Bears controlled the play for most of the opening 19 minutes, but a faceoff in the Potsdam zone with less than a minute to go gave the Statesmen one last chance. Senior forward Sean Elliot (St. Joe's Collegiate/Buffalo, N.Y.) took a quick shot off the draw, collected his own rebound and fired the puck past a screened Ryan Venturelli, to cut the lead to 2-1 as time expired.

Midway through the second period, Wlodarczyk struck again, followed by teammate Erick Curtis at the 16:01 mark, to give the Bears a commanding 4-1 lead. Just two minutes later senior forward Zach Mundy (Berkshire School/Cranston, R.I.) cut the lead to 4-2 on a two-man advantage. With just 28 seconds remaining in the period, Sean Darke sealed the victory for Potsdam beating senior goalie Sam Weiner (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers/Meadowbrook, Pa.) in close for the 5-2 lead.

Hobart came out flying in the third, taking four quick shots, but couldn't solve Venturelli. The Bears responded with pressure of their own firing 17 shots on senior goalie Tony Rodriguez (Salisbury School/Lake Placid, N.Y.), who replaced Weiner at the start of the final stanza, but had no luck as Potsdam skated to its 14th victory of the year.

Wlodarczyk finished with two goals, Dark had a goal and an assist, and Mike McCabe had three helpers to lead the Bears. Weiner finished with 20 stops and Rodriguez had 17 saves for the Statesmen. Venturelli was solid for Potsdam finishing with 23 saves. Hobart returns to action Feb. 22, when they travel to Elmira to face the Soaring Eagles at 7:30 p.m.

–HWS SPORTS–