Men’s Hockey Moves to 17-2 with Win at Home

Saranac Lake, NY ~ To close out the final home game of the semester, the Paul Smith's College men's hockey team picked up an important Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League (UNYCHL) East Division win against SUNY Canton on Wednesday night.

Continuing their trend of scoring early and often, Sean Wright (Wappingers Falls, NY) got the Bobcats on the board first after a nice setup from behind the net from linemate Collin Trapiss (Macedon, NY) just under five minutes into the game.  Ryen Janus (Frederick, MD) buried a similar goal a minute later with linemates AJ Dennett (Franklin, VT) and Tony Pinski (Perrysburg, OH) assisting.

"Proud of the guys last night for sticking out a big 4-1 win," said Janus.  "That goal doesn't happen without my linemates AJ and Tony constantly working hard," he added.

Janus repaid the favor to Pinski at the 8:16 mark with Dennett also adding his second assist of the game on another play from deep in the offensive zone.  The Roos would get one back on the power play with 5:42 left in the first period, but the sophomore defenseman Nick Ogden (Queensbury, NY) buried his fourth goal of the season on a nice setup from Attila Quesnel (Montreal, QC) and senior captain Colin Palmer (Clifton Park, NY).

The next two periods were filled with a different type of statistics as the two teams combined for 14 penalties.  Kevin Zamazal (Opava, Czech Republic) stood on his head in net for the hosts, stopping 36 of 37 shots faced to pick up his fifth win of the campaign and earn Player of the Game.

"Important win - great way to come back after a loss," said Zamazal.  The Bobcats had their 16-game winning streak snapped the last game before break as the fell to Penn State Harrisburg 2-1 at the Keystone Classic.  The Bobcats won the first two games of the showcase, defeating York College 6-1 and third-ranked SUNY Cortland 3-2 in a game that also saw Zamazal earn Player of the Game.  "Just doing my job, happy to get the win at home," added the Czech netminder.

The Bobcats move to 6-0 in the UNYCHL East Division and could all but clinch the #1 seed ahead of playoffs with a win at SUNY JCC in Watertown on Sunday.  At 17-2, the team is prepared for a marquee matchup with the Cannoneers.  The Bobcats are having their best season in program history as new and returning players alike have contributed in key moments.

"It's been an amazing senior season watching all the new guys gel together and become part of this family," said Janus.  "It feels good being on a line where I can fully commit to my linemates and trust them, making my senior season one to remember as we continue to roll," added Janus.

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.