Ice Knights’ bid for fifth-straight SUNYAC title ends with semifinals loss
Geneseo’s hopes for a fifth straight SUNYAC Championship in ice hockey came to an end Saturday night with a 5-1 semifinal loss on the road to Plattsburgh. Going into the playoffs, Plattsburgh was the number two seed, with Geneseo ranked third. In their two regular-season meetings this year, the teams tied the first game 2-2 on Nov. 12, with Plattsburgh winning the second 3-2 on Jan. 28.
The Ice Knights went into the game coming off a strong performance in a 3-0 win against Fredonia on Wednesday, Feb. 22 in the tournament’s quarterfinals; however, they were not able to keep up their momentum in the semis with Plattsburgh scoring halfway into the first period. Geneseo’s defense along with senior goaltender Matt Petizian held the Cardinals to one goal in the period, with Petizian saving 19 out of 20 shots. The Knights’ offense had 10 shots on goal during the first period but weren’t able to put anything in the back of the net.
Heading into the second period with a one-goal deficit, Geneseo’s offense put their foot on the gas, outshooting Plattsburgh 18-10. Plattsburgh secured their second goal of the game in the tenth minute, but a well-placed shot from sophomore forward Domenic Garozzo, assisted by junior defenseman Diarmad DiMurro, slashed the Cardinals’ lead in half. The Ice Knights were not able to capitalize on any more chances, however, and the second period came to a close with Geneseo down 2-1.
Unfortunately for the Ice Knights, their third period performance did not provide the changes necessary to overcome Plattsburgh and win the game. While both teams had 14 shots on goal, Plattsburgh found success on three of their shots while Geneseo came out scoreless. The Cardinals scored their third goal in the first five minutes of the period, and despite the Ice Knights’ best effort, they couldn’t overcome the two-goal difference. Plattsburgh tacked on two more goals in the final five minutes of the game, closing the door on Geneseo’s comeback effort and their hopes for a fifth-straight SUNYAC Championship win. With the loss, Geneseo was eliminated from further competition in the SUNYAC tournament, while Plattsburgh will go on to play Oswego in the championship round on Saturday, Mar. 4.
While Saturday’s outcome was not what the Ice Knights had hoped for, they finished the SUNYAC season with a total record of 18-7-2. This marks the 14th straight season that the Geneseo men’s hockey team has finished its season with a winning record. More positives this week were the four all-SUNYAC awards given to members of the team—Petizian, graduate student defenseman Matthew Doran, and sophomore forward Peter Morgan earned First-Team All-SUNYAC honors. Freshman defenseman Dakota Zarudny was named to the SUNYAC All-Rookie team, with 18 points this season on three goals and 15 assists, despite being plagued with an injury.
Their season may have come to an end, but the 2022-2023 Ice Knights have much to be proud of. The recognition of excellence for these four athletes speaks to the strength of Geneseo’s hockey program, and the team’s strong winning record has indicated that there will be much to look forward to next season.