As the regular season winds down, the Cortland Men’s Hockey team finds themselves in fourth place in the SUNYAC with a conference record of 8-4-1. With just three home games remaining on their schedule, the Red Dragons are looking to improve their seeding before the end of the season.
The wounds from last season’s first-round exit are still fresh in the minds of the Red Dragons. Facing Buffalo State, Cortland went down early, and the game slipped away from them. Senior forward Nate Berke, who played in that game, reflected on the lessons learned.
“Last year was a tough one,” Berke acknowledged. “We went down early on a couple of fluke goals, and we started pressing.”
Beginning this season with a 5-0 record, the Red Dragons displayed the effort that hinted at improvements. However, as the season progressed, Cortland encountered hurdles. Since the streak, Cortland has gone 6-7-2 and has struggled to maintain consistency.
These three upcoming SUNYAC matchups will prove how prepared The Red Dragons are for the postseason. Cortland can solidify itself as a contender in the conference by finishing the season strong. If you are not busy, go support the Red Dragons at Alumni Center in any of these upcoming matchups.
Plattsburgh, Friday February 9th @ 7 PM
Cortland is gearing up for a rematch against Plattsburgh, looking to overturn the 6-1 loss suffered in the beginning of December. This defeat in Plattsburgh marked the largest point differential in a loss for Cortland this season.
Plattsburgh enters the matchup with a 16-3-2 record, currently holding the third seed in the SUNYAC. Leading their offense is senior Bennett Stockdale with 15 goals and sophomore Joshua Belgrave contributing 13 goals.
In the last matchup, junior forward Domenic Settimo emerged as the only scorer for Cortland, finding the back of the net in the beginning of the 3rd period. Plattsburgh’s goalkeeper, Jacob Hearne currently leads the entire SUNYAC in the lowest goals against average with 1.59.
The Red Dragons will look to defeat Plattsburgh for the first time at home since 2005.
Potsdam, Saturday February 10th @ 5 PM
The Red Dragons will face Potsdam the next day following their matchup against the Cardinals. In their earlier encounter this season Cortland shutout the Bears 4-0. Potsdam, currently holding a 6-14-1 record, has lost three of their last four games. Interestingly, despite their struggles at home with a winless record of 0-8-0, Potsdam has a 6-5-1 record on the road.
In their last matchup, senior goaltender Jack Riedell earned his first shutout win in his career. Potsdam’s goalie, freshman goalie Lenny Perno, is averaging just 2.67 goals per outing. Perno currently ranks fourth in the SUNYAC with an impressive .929 save percentage.
In their previous matchup, senior A.J. Przystawski, sophomore Colby Seitz, freshman Sam Nichols, and Berke all contributed with goals. This matchup presents an easier opportunity for Cortland to further solidify their record in the SUNYAC.
Oswego, Friday February 16th @ 7 PM
Cortland faces a familiar opponent against Oswego, having played against them twice back in December. In their first matchup, the Red Dragons won 5-2 on the road. They met again in the Oswego Hockey Classic which ended in a tie after overtime.
Oswego, currently holding a 14-7-1 record, ranks second in the SUNYAC. Despite their strong standing, they suffered a loss in their last road game against Geneseo, the top seed in the SUNYAC.
In the overall history between Cortland and Oswego, the Lakers hold a significant advantage with an 84-13-3 overall record. However, Cortland has won two of their last three matchups against each other in Oswego.
As Cortland prepares for this conference showdown, they will need to be prepared for a playoff matchup which follows soon after.
SUNYAC Playoffs
As Cortland Men’s Hockey approaches the SUNYAC playoffs, the team is honing their focus on key aspects to ensure a successful postseason run. According to Berke, who leads the team in points, a strong defensive foundation is pivotal for success in the playoffs.
“If we can control our defensive zone in the playoffs, we will be a very tough team to play against,” said Berke. “I have a lot of confidence that we can score goals but getting into a run and gun style of play is not how we see a successful playoff run.”
Reflecting on lessons learned from previous playoff runs, Berke emphasized the importance of playing with a sense of freedom. The memories of a challenging first-round loss against Buffalo State last year have instilled a valuable insight: staying loose, playing their game, and remaining faithful to the coaching principles will be crucial in navigating this playoff run.
With three upcoming home games against Plattsburgh, Potsdam, and Oswego, the Red Dragons are counting on the energy of the fans to create an electrifying atmosphere. Home advantage can play a significant role in boosting team performance, so be sure to attend these important games for the Red Dragons!