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

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Friday, November 12, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (REFLECTS SCORING CHANGE)

Hockey

Devils topple No. 9 Plattsburgh

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Junior Kraig Kuzma (Muskegon, Mich.) scored the game-winning goal Friday as Fredonia State upset Plattsburgh, 5-2, in SUNYAC men's hockey.

Sophomore Matt Zeman (Rocky River, Ohio) had one goal and two assists, including one on Kuzma's game-winner, as he added to his NCAA Division III scoring lead. He had 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists) in seven games.

Sophomore Kyle Bozoian (St. Charles, Mo.) had two goals for the Blue Devils (5-1-1, 3-0-0).

Kuzma broke a 2-2 tie at 9:43 of the second period when he scored on the rebound of a shot by junior Jim Gilbride (Parma, Ohio), who later scored Fredonia State's fifth goal.

Junior Rick Cazares (San Jose, Cal.) earned her his third straight victory in goal. He made 25 saves. The Blue Devils outshot Plattsburgh, 30-27.

Fredonia State swept the three-star awards. Zeman earned the No. 1 star, Bozoian the No. 2, and senior defenseman and Plattsburgh native Chris Wells the No. 3 star in his final regular-season homecoming.

"The kids worked their (butts) off," Fredonia State head coach Jeff Meredith said. "We just outworked them."

In addition to killing 8 of 10 penalties, the Blue Devils scored two short-handed goals. They were also 1 of 5 on the power play.

The victory, Fredonia State's first in Plattsburgh since 1996-97, enabled the Blue Devils to remain tied with Oswego (a 10-3 winner Friday over Brockport) for the SUNYAC lead.

Plattsburgh fell two games back in the loss column. The Cardinals (2-2-0, 2-2-0), the coaches' preseason favorite to win the conference title, are ranked No. 9 in the current USCHO.com Division III poll.

The Blue Devils, ranked No. 23rd nationally at the start of the week, complete their north country trip Saturday at Potsdam. Game time is 7 p.m.

(Read an account of the game from the Plattsburgh Press Republican.)

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