CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Cortland men's hockey team scored the game's final six goals in skating to a 7-1 victory versus Potsdam Friday night in SUNYAC action at Alumni Arena in the conference opener for both teams. The Red Dragons improved to 2-0-1 overall, while the Bears dropped to 0-2.

Senior Trevor Veneklase (Brentwood, TN/Seahawks Hockey Club) and freshman Zack Smith (Courtice, ON/Cobourg Cougars) each netted two goals for Cortland. Juniors Cameron Knowlton (Kenai, AK/Charlotte Rush) and Nate Berke (Buffalo/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and freshman Colby Seitz (Eden/Corpus Christi IceRays) scored one goal apiece. Junior Sutter Donegan (Cicero/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and sophomore Johnny Facchini (Succasunna, NJ/P.A.L. Junior Islanders) recorded three assists, and sophomores Anthony Bernardo (Hauppauge/P.A.L. Junior Islanders) and Domenic Settimo (East Meadow/P.A.L. Junior Islanders) each picked up an assist.

Senior goalie Luca Durante (Brampton, ON/Aurora Tigers) registered 31 saves for the Red Dragons. Senior goalie Stephen Friedland (West Bloomfield, MI/East Coast Wizards) turned aside 40 shots for Potsdam.

Junior Jack Loran (Massena/New England Wolves) scored a power-play goal for the Bears. Senior Nick Alfieri (Buffalo/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and sophomore Drew Rose (Brasher Falls/Utica Jr. Comets) each picked up an assist.

Veneklase gave Cortland the lead just 1:59 into the game with a shot from inside the blue line through traffic. Loran tied the game from the left circle at 12:34 of the first period before Seitz scored on a deflection at the 16:50 mark for a 2-1 Red Dragon lead.

Cortland took control of the game with three second-period goals. Knowlton scored into the top-right corner on a wrist shot at 8:43. Donegan assisted Veneklase's second goal at 9:32, and Berke scored on a loose puck in front at 13:00. Smith then scored a pair of power-play goals in the third period, at 23 seconds and 10:45, respectively, with both Donegan and Facchini assisting for the 7-1 final.
 
Cortland 7, Potsdam 1

Score by periods:
Potsdam     1-0-0        1
Cortland      2-3-2        7

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists) 
Potsdam: Jack Loran 1-0, Drew Rose 0-1, Nick Alfieri 0-1
Cortland: Trevor Veneklase 2-0, Zack Smith 2-0, Colby Seitz 1-0, Cameron Knowlton 1-0, Nate Berke 1-0, Sutter Donegan 0-3, Johnny Facchini 0-3, Anthony Bernardo 0-1, Domenic Settimo 0-1

Saves: Luca Durante (Cortland) 31 saves (1 GA in 60:00); Stephen Friedland (Potsdam) 40 saves (7 GA in 59:54), Empty Net :06

Shots on Goal: Cortland 47 (13-13-17), Potsdam 32 (10-6-16)
Penalties: Cortland 11-22:00, Potsdam 10-20:00
Power Play: Potsdam 1-10, Cortland 2-9

Records after game: Potsdam (Bears) 0-2, 0-1 SUNYAC, Cortland (Red Dragons) 2-0-1, 1-0 SUNYAC