GENESEO, N.Y. - The fourth-seeded Cortland men's hockey team scored the tiebreaking goal 7:11 into the third period and the Red Dragons held on to upset top-seeded and nationally fourth-ranked Geneseo, 3-2, in the semifinals of the 2024 SUNYAC tournament.
 
Cortland (16-8-2) earned its second-ever SUNYAC finals appearance and its first since 1993. Cortland's men's and women's teams will both play at the Plattsburgh for SUNYAC titles on Saturday, March 2 - the women at 3 p.m. and the men at 7 p.m. - with NCAA Division II tournament automatic berths on the line.
 
Junior Anthony Bernardo (Hauppauge/P.A.L. Junior Islanders) scored the game winner for Cortland, his second goal of the SUNYAC tournament, assisted by Jona Hildreth (Williamsville/Walpole Express) and A.J. Przystawski (Burlington, CT/New Hampshire Avalanche). Cortland held the host Knights scoreless the rest of the way, including the final 1:27 after Geneseo pulled its goalie.
 
Geneseo (21-5-0) opening the scoring 7:05 into the second period on a goal by Sean Melso, assisted by Luke Panchisin and Dakota Zarudny, just 15 seconds after offsetting penalties were assessed. Stephen Kyrkostas (Selden/Johnstown Tomahawks) leveled it up for the Red Dragons 5:12 later with his 10th score on the year. Przystawski and Even Beaudry (Mississauga, ON/Kemptville 73's) assisted on the goal.
 
With 1:14 to go before the second intermission, Colby Seitz (Eden/Corpus Christi IceRays), off assists from Domenic Settimo (East Meadow/P.A.L. Junior Islanders) and Sam Nichols (North Tonawanda/Islanders Hockey Club), put the Red Dragons in front 2-1, and Cortland carried that lead into intermission. It took only 3:06 into the third, however, for a Geneseo answer, as Teddy Purcell knotted the score at two apiece, with assists to Nathan Poolman and Diarmad DiMurro. Four minutes later, Bernardo took back the Cortland lead for good.
 
Cortland goalie Jack Riedell (Greensboro,  NC/Charlotte Rush) turned away 35 shots and Geneseo's Jacob Torgner registered 26 saves on the night.
 
Cortland 3, Geneseo 2
 
Score by periods:
Cortland              0-2-1       3
Geneseo              0-1-1        2
 
Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists)
Cortland: Anthony Bernardo 1-0, Colby Seitz 1-0, Stephen Kyrkostas 1-0, A.J. Przystawski 0-2, Sam Nichols 0-1, Evan Beaudry 0-1, Domenic Settimo 0-1, Jona Hildreth 0-1
Geneseo: Sean Melso 1-0, Teddy Purcell 1-0, Diarmad DiMurro 0-1, Nathan Poolman 0-1, Dakota Zarudny 0-1, Luke Panchisin 0-1
 
 
Saves: Jack Riedell (Cortland) 35 saves (2 GA in 60:00); Jacob Torgner (Geneseo) 26 saves (3 GA in 58:33), Empty Net for 1:27
 
Shots on Goal: Geneseo 37 (12-12-13), Cortland 29 (10-12-7)
Penalties: Geneseo 4-8:00, Cortland 3-6:00
Power Play: Cortland 0-3, Geneseo 0-2
 
Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 16-8-2, Geneseo (Knights) 21-5