Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Mon., Feb. 18, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Men's Hockey

Devils meeting Bengals again

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia State and Buffalo State will meet in the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament for the second straight year.

Game time is 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Steele Hall Ice Arena.

Fredonia State was a 2-1 double-overtime winners last Feb. 20 at the Buffalo State Sports Arena, its first of three straight road wins en route the 2007 SUNYAC Tournament title. That was the same score when the teams met Friday at Buffalo State. The Blue Devils (14-8-3, 10-4-2 SUNYAC) emerged with the overtime win on a goal by freshman Jordan Oye (Richmond, B.C.).

"Last Friday night’s game," Fredonia State head coach Jeff Meredith said, "was classic Fredonia-Buffalo State in that it was a battle. Both teams know each other fairly well so I would imagine that it will come down to little things that make the difference."

Meredith repeated his season-long mantra for success: limit the opponent's opportunities, take advantage of the opportunities his team gets, and stay out of the penalty box. "Quick starts," he said, "are always key in college hockey and tomorrow will be no different."

The Blue Devils open the tournament as the No. 3 seed while the Bengals (10-11-4, 5-7-4 SUNYAC) are No. 6. The winner will advance to a semifinal-round game Saturday. The Blue Devils would travel to No. 2 Oswego, while the Bengals would visit No. 1 Plattsburgh.

Cortland visits Potsdam in the other SUNYAC quarterfinal game Tuesday night.

NOTES: There will be no pre-sale of tickets. Instead, fans may purchase tickets at the Steele Hall box office starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Ticket prices are $5 for adults and $2 for students ... As a courtesy, the Fredonia State athletic department has purchased the first 100 student tickets. Fans with Fredonia State student ID cards will receive a complimentary admission until the allotment of 100 tickets is gone ... According to SUNYAC policy, season passes cannot be used for admission to any post-season games or competitions.

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