Bobcats Erupt for Nine Goals in Rout of UAlbany

Saranac Lake, NY ~ The Paul Smith's College men's hockey team won their first-ever Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League (UNYCHL) playoff game on Friday night as they decimated the University at Albany Great Danes 9-1.

Junior captain Colin Palmer (Clifton Park, NY) scored the first three goals of the game to secure the first natural hat trick (three straight goals in a game) of his collegiate career as it looked as if the talented centerman just couldn't miss.  The first goal of the game came in the opening period when Palmer collected a turnover on the side boards and beat the Great Dane keeper low.  He would score two more in a row and three more total as the Bobcats really took control in the second period after the 1-0 first.

At 12:26 of the middle frame, Palmer collected a breakout pass from Kevin Zamazal (Opava, Czech Republic) to Attila Quesnel (Montreal, QC) and skated 3/4 of the ice before roofing the goalie on the short side.  Palmer would complete his hat trick just five minutes later as he buried a shot in the slot off of a nice blueline to dasher play from Quesnel and Dylan Sauve (Wappingers Falls, NY).  The Bobcats would score two more before the end of the period, both off of set face off plays, as Hazen Stoufer (East Montpelier, VT) and Palmer made it 5-0 going into the third.

"Scoring four goals in the game felt great!" exclaimed Palmer.  "But the teamwork that allowed me to make those key plays was really satisfying, especially against a team that gave us a challenge a few weeks ago"

The Bobcats needed overtime on Saturday, January 25th against the same UAlbany team to get the win as they also had to come behind from three goals down late in the second period.  To be able to win a game like this in such a dominating fashion is a huge confidence boost and a big step forward as the team moves into the postseason and looks to make a run at nationals.

Palmer echoed that sentiment, stating that "As a team, we showed tremendous growth and I couldn't have done it alone."

The final period was all-Bobcats once again as they scored four more goals to pull to 9-0 as Zach Thoren (Raleigh, NC) connected on a net drive play from Larry Parece (Woburn, MA) and Ryen Janus (Frederick, MD) before the home squad exploded on the power play.

"Larry made a great play to create space, and I was able to finish it off," recalled Thoren.

Nick Ogden (Queensbury, NY) scored two power play goals sandwiched between Stoufer getting his second of the game as the Bobcats went 3-for-6 on the man advantage.  Attila Quesnel finished with an unheard of seven assists while linemates Colin Palmer (4G 2A) and Hazen Stoufer (2G 2A) showed why they are one of the best offensive lines in the country.  The Bobcat penalty kill was also clicking, as they have all year, finishing a perfect 7-for-7 for a 100% kill rate.  Thoren has been a major part of that special teams work and spoke to how well it's working for the team this season.

"Our pk was dialed in on Friday," said Thoren.  "We blocked shots, cleared pucks, and didn't give them too much to work with.  Killing those penalties gave us a ton of momentum... it was a huge team effort all around and it felt great to contribute on both ends," added Thoren.

Kevin Zamazal finished with a 29-save, one goal against performance as the Great Danes got one back with about a minute left, but the goaltender from the Czech Republic was lights out all night, denying chance after chance and slamming the door shut. The Bobcat defense was also fantastic, shutting down opportunities before the puck even entered their defensive zone.  One of those superlative defenseman was Omar Uqdah (North Adams, MA), a converted forward who has added some much-needed physicality and poise to the Bobcat defensive core.

"Big hits just help set the tone for the game as well as the team and how we have to go out each shift and play," said Uqdah.  "Also, who doesn't love watching a nice hit from a fan's or spectator's point of view?" he asked, rhetorically.

The big hits not only brought the estimated 400 fans in attendance into the game, but it also took the Great Danes out of it.  By the second period, 50/50 plays that would normally be made by the opponents were being shied away from as the Bobcat physicality really made its presence known.

"As you saw towards the end of the game, they made moves to avoid contact, which was a big help for us to win," added Uqdah.

The Bobcats were slated to play at Hamilton College on Saturday for the quarterfinal round of the UNYCHL D2 playoffs, but a scheduling mishap with the officials caused that game to be canceled.  That game will now be played on Wednesday, February 26th at the Saranac Lake Civic Center to determine who will advance to the 2025 UNYCHL Final Four in Skaneateles, NY this coming weekend.

You can follow the men's hockey team on Instagram at @pschockey or follow the general athletics account at @smitty_nation for schedules, updates, photos, and much more!

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At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith's provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences, and natural resources. We can draw on industries and resources available in our backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive, and adventurous individuals collectively provides experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at www.paulsmiths.edu.