Bobcats Sweep Weekend With Win at UAlbany

Albany, NY ~ The Paul Smith's College men's hockey team finds themselves ranked sixth in the nation in AAU Division II College Hockey, having swept this weekend's games in the capital district.

After summarily dismissing Union 6-1 on Friday, the Bobcats turned around and doubled up UAlbany 6-3 on Saturday to earn their sixth straight win.  It's an early season filled with sixes, as the Bobcats have put up six goals in five out of their six wins so far.

"It seems to be a season of sixes," said head coach Casey Gerrish.  "But honestly, with the wins piling up and the team playing great hockey together I'll take any score we can get, as long as we put up more than our opponents," he added.

Saturday's game started off with torrid pace for the visitors from the ADKs, as they put three into the back of the net before the Great Danes even knew what hit them.  Julien Shafer (Queensbury, NY) got the party started 3:31 into the opening frame after a beautiful give-and-go from linemate Collin Trapiss (Macedon, NY).  Then, on the very next shift, the line of Omar Uqdah (North Adams, MA), Colin Palmer (Clifton Park, NY), and Attila Quesnel (Montreal, QC) added two more within just 14 seconds of each other to give the Bobcats at 3-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.

The Great Danes would get two back later in the first before Sean Wright (Wappingers Falls, NY) made it 4-2 late in the second on the 4on4, showcasing the junior center's speed and finishing ability.  Then, with five minutes remaining, Albany made it 4-3 which caused everyone on the Bobcat bench to hold their stick a little tighter.

With 3:36 remaining, last year's Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League's (UNYCHL) Division II Player of the Year, Attila Quesnel, gathered a puck that was coughed up by a defender from a punishing hit by Omar Uqdah, and deposited it in the back of the Great Dane net for an insurance marker to make it 5-3.  Wright would score his second of the game shorthanded on the empty net with 23 seconds left as the Danes pulled their goalie to try to claw back.

The Bobcat special teams were excellent in the game, going 6/6 on the penalty kill while adding a shorthanded goal.  Owen Kime (Waterloo, NY) and assistant captain Kyle Davis (Canandaigua, NY) were a major reason why the penalty kill was so dominant.  Both defensemen double shifted to give their team the best possible chance to succeed on the man down.

"We've built a family that'll cause other teams to crumble in frustration," said Davis.  The senior captain has been a major force on the penalty kill with pk partner Owen Kime.  "A penalty kill isn't an option, we go out there to work.  When we kill the pk we destroy their determination and boost ours," he added.

"It's easy for me to do my job when I know I have a brick wall in net behind me," said Kime.  "We practice our pk a lot and we knew what they were trying to do," he added.

Ethan Stefaniak (Franklin, VT) was fantastic in net, stopping 24/27 shots, including many from point blank range, to earn Player of the Game.

"My first game of my college career was against Albany, so being able to play against them is always a good feeling.  But being able to get the win in a close back-and-forth game was awesome," said Stefaniak.  "Having our defense play as good as they did - blocking shots and being able to kill penalties - was also a huge part of my success," he added.

The win puts the team at 3-0 in the UNYCHL East Division as they sit atop the league.  At 6-1, they are one of the best teams in the conference and continue their season on the road this coming weekend.  They play LeMoyne at 7:30pm Friday followed by Hamilton at 6:30pm Saturday and SUNY Canton at 5pm on Sunday.

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.