POTSDAM, N.Y. - The Neumann University men's ice hockey team fell short in its bud to sweep its weekend series at SUNY Potsdam on Saturday evening, dropping a 5-3 result in non-conference play.
 
Dan Cangelosi spearheaded The Neumann attack with a goal and an assist, while Richie Brusco and Glenn Florczak also scored for the Knights. Kyle Pantelone made the start in goal, stopping 32 of the 36 shots he faced.
 
Neumann played a much better first period on Saturday night compared to Friday's game, but puck luck was not on their side in the first frame. Despite outshooting Potsdam by a margin of 17-9, the visitors found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline at the first intermission.
 
The Knights would fight back in a penalty-filled second stanza though, tallying twice to nudge their way in front. Both goals came late in the period via the power-play. Neumann went 2-for-2 on the man-advantage last night and continued its success with the extra man to catapult its way into the lead via goals from Brusco and Florczak to make it 2-1 Knights heading to the third.
 
The final frame would seesaw back and forth. Potsdam leveled the contest at 2-2 just 34 seconds after intermission, but Cangelosi had an answer for Neumann seven minutes later to put the visitors back on top 3-2. That lead would again be short-lived though, as Potsdam fought back with another equalizer two and a half minutes later. The Bears would not look back after that. Using a power play of their own late in the game, the hosts found the game-winner with just 3:58 left to play. The Knights pulled Pantelone for an extra attacker in the final two minutes looking for the tying goal, but a Potsdam empty-netter sealed a 5-3 win for the Bears.
 
Neumann (4-10-0) returns home next Friday, January 17th for its first home game of the semester versus SUNY Cortland. The non-conference tilt is slated for 7:00 PM.