PSC Doubles Up Opponents 6-3 in Back-to-Back Games

Saranac Lake, NY ~ The Paul Smith's College men's hockey team is off to its best start in program history.  At 4-1, the team has lived up to and exceeded the high expectations set after last year's monumental success which saw them make the AAU College Hockey National Tournament for the first time ever.  And if things play out like they have been over the first few weeks of the season, the Bobcats will be back in Jacksonville in March.

On Friday night in front of an estimated 300 fans, the team gave up the first goal to St. Bonaventure halfway through the first period.  Then, with 2:09 remaining, Colin Palmer (Clifton Park, NY) tied it up at 1-1 on the power play.  That was only the beginning, as the Bobcats were lethal all night, going 4/8 on the man advantage.

Palmer would net two more goals in the game to earn the hat trick and add two assists while receiving Player of the Game honors.  Linemate Attila Quesnel (Montreal, QC) notched four assists as the Quebec native was fantastic with distributing the puck all night.  The line of Palmer (3G/2A), Uqdah (2G/1A), and Quesnel (4A) accounted for 75% of the point total for the hosts in the game.

"Scoring a hat trick and helping the team was an incredible feeling," said Palmer, recalling the game.  "Being named Player of the Game Friday was just the cherry on top - I'm proud of this team and the heart we showed throughout," added the senior captain.

James Kircaldie (Londonderry, NH) earned the win in net, stopping 18 shots in solid goalkeeping as the Bobcats beat the Bonnies by a final score of 6-3.  Liam Berger (Geneseo, NY) buried his first collegiate goal on the power play with a very nice individual effort as he came around the Union goal and tucked it in on the short side.

Saturday's game was an exact replica of Friday's as Paul Smith's College doubled up Union 6-3. This game, however, was dominated by another line on the stat sheet as Sean Wright (Wappingers Falls, NY), Julien Shafer (Queensbury, NY), and Collin Trapiss (Macedon, NY) outskated the Garnet Chargers on what it seemed like every shift.

Shafer finished with a goal and an assist, Trapiss contributed two helpers, and Wright lit up the Union keeper with two goals on his way to being named Player of the Game.

"When your team feels like they're clicking, the wins will come," remarked Wright with confidence.  "It's easy to do well when you know your linemates back you up," he added, complimenting the play of Shafer and Trapiss.

Sophomore defenseman Nick Ogden (Queensbury, NY) also had a good night, contributing an assist from the blueline and finishing +2 on the day.  Starting netminder Kevin Zamazal (Opava, Czech Republic) stopped 23 of 25 shots faced to earn the win before leaving late in the third due to injury.  Ethan Stefaniak (Franklin, VT) did a good job to come off the bench cold and preserve the win.

Up next for the Bobcats is Union on Friday, October 24th at 8:30pm and UAlbany on Saturday, October 25th at 7:30pm.  Both games are away as the team travels to the capital district for two important early season Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League (UNYCHL) East Division matchups.

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.