Last season’s SUNYAC goalie of the year, Fredonia’s Will Hamele, stopped all 23 Buffalo State shots as the Blue Devils blanked the Bengals 3-0 in the first round of the SUNYAC Challenge.
Fredonia scored all of its goals in the second period. Senior forward Dave Barnett notched the first of two tallies on the power play at 7:07, assisted by Christian Fletcher and Blue Devils captain Dan Showalter.
Fletcher also assisted on Barnett’s second goal, at 18:58.
The Blue Devils capped the period with just 24 seconds left on the clock as freshman Riley McTaggart scored his first collegiate goal, assisted by fellow rookie Nick Grove, and junior Craig Florkowski.
Buffalo State’s Nick Berti made 24 saves, including 12 in the second period.
Neither team was effective on the power play, with Fredonia converting one of its ten chances, and the Bengals scoreless on six tries.
Fredonia (1-0-0) meets Cortland in the championship round of the tournament, Saturday at 7:00 p.m., while Buffalo State (0-1-0) faces Potsdam in the 2:00 p.m. consolation.