PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Junior forward Anthony Bernardo (Hauppauge/P.A.L. Junior Islanders) scored 9:13 into overtime to lift fourth-seeded Cortland to a 3-2 victory over host and third-seeded Plattsburgh in the championship game of the 2024 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) men's ice hockey tournament.
 
Cortland (18-8-2) claimed its first-ever SUNYAC title and earned an automatic berth into its first NCAA Division III tournament. The 13-team NCAA field will be announced on Monday, March 4, at 10 a.m. on NCAA .com and the opening round will be played on Saturday, March 9. The Red Dragons' 18th victory is one shy of tying the school single-season mark set during a 19-9 campaign in 1992-93.
 
Bernardo, who also scored the game-winning goal in a 3-2 victory at top-seeded Geneseo in last week's semifinals, was named the tournament MVP. He was joined on the all-tournament team by senior forward Nate Berke (Williamsville/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and senior goalie Jack Riedell (Greensboro, NC/Charlotte Rush) and Plattsburgh's Ryan Bonfield, Bennett Stockdale and Ryan Hogg.
 
Riedell made 41 saves, including six in overtime, and Berke finished with a goal and an assist. Bonfield scored Plattsburgh's goals, both in the third period, and Jacob Hearne made 31 saves.
 
Sophomore forward Colby Seitz (Eden/Corpus Christi IceRays) put Cortland on the board 11:28 into the second period, scoring off assists by Berke and junior forward Domenic Settimo (East Meadow/P.A.L. Junior Islanders). Plattsburgh evened the game on a Bonfield power-play goals, assisted by Luke Jirousek and Paul Bryer, just 58 seconds into the third.
 
Cortland took a 2-1 lead with 3:38 left in regulation when Settimo won a faceoff directly to Berke, who scored on a one-timer from the slot. Plattsburgh pulled Hearne for an extra attacker with 1:15 remaining, and the move paid off when Bonfield found the net, assisted by Stockdale and Tio A'ddario with 31 seconds left to knot the game at 2-2.
 
The Red Dragons scored the winning goal almost midway through the first overtime when senior forward Cameron Knowlton (Kenai, AK/Charlotte Rush) sent a centering pass from the right side to Bernardo, who backhanded a shot through the five-hole to set off the Cortland celebration. Senior forward Jona Hildreth (Williamsville/Walpole Express) earned the secondary assist on the goal.
 
Cortland 3, Plattsburgh 2 (OT)
 
Score by periods:
Cortland                    0-1-1-1        3
Plattsburgh                0-0-2-0     2

Scoring Summary (Goals-Assists) 
Cortland: Nate Berke 1-1, Colby Seitz 1-0, Anthony Bernardo 1-0, Domenic Settimo 0-2, Cameron Knowlton 0-1, Jona Hildreth 0-1
Plattsburgh: Ryan Bonfield 2-0, Luke Jirousek 0-1, Paul Bryer 0-1, Bennett Stockdale 0-1, Tio D'Addario 0-1

Saves: Jack Riedell (Cortland) 41 saves (2 GA in 69:13); Jacob Hearne (Plattsburgh) 31 saves (3 GA in 68:29), Empty Net for 0:44

Shots on Goal: Plattsburgh 43 (11-11-15-6), Cortland 34 (8-7-12-7)
Penalties: Plattsburgh 3-6:00, Cortland 3-6:00
Power Play: Plattsburgh 1-3, Cortland 0-3

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 18-8-2, Plattsburgh 21-5-2