POTSDAM, N.Y.—Freshman forward Bryce Ferrell (East Amherst, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) recorded his first career hat trick, which included the game-winner, as the SUNY Potsdam men's hockey team (5-9-2) outlasted SUNY Canton (6-10-2) 6-5 in overtime on Saturday night. Freshman forward Nate Zweig (Binghamton, N.Y./Syracuse Stars) also scored two goals for the Bears and junior forward Dylan Vander Esch (San Jose, Calif./Hartford Wolfpack) chipped in a goal and an assist.

Ferrell opened the scoring at 13:33 with a shorthanded tally after a Kangaroo turnover. Less than three minutes later Vander Esch picked up a pass from freshman forward Nick Keck (Holland, Pa./Odessa Jackalopes) in the neutral zone. He then stuck the puck over the left shoulder of Canton sophomore goalie Josh Erickson (Woodbury, Minn./Kirkland Lake Gold Miners) to make it 2-0. Potsdam outshot the Roos 19-10 in the opening period.

The teams combined for six goals in the second period. Canton quickly erased the two-goal deficit. Sophomore freshman Joey Vocino (Pickering, Ontario/Lindsay Muskies) got the Roos on the board with a shot from the right faceoff circle at 2:01. Freshman forward Vili-Jesper Koivula (Pinsio, Finland/HPK U 20) continued his big weekend with a power-play goal at 6:39. Nearly two minutes later, the Bears regained their two-goal lead. Ferrell notched his second of the night on the power play at 7:51 and Zweig made it 4-2 with a helper from freshman forward Anthony Merante (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Thorold Blackhawks) 45 seconds later. Freshman forward Tyler Bullard (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Northern Cyclones) closed the gap to 4-3 at 17:28 and junior forward Ben Beasley (Burlington, Ontario/Smith Falls Rangers) scored Canton's fifth power-play goal of the weekend to send the teams into the second intermission deadlocked at four.

Zweig briefly unknotted the score at 11:55 of the third period, but Roos sophomore defenseman J.P. Langlois (Amos, Quebec/Kanata Lasers) made it 5-5 53 seconds after that.

Ferrell jammed home the rebound off a Keck shot 1:19 into overtime to send Potsdam home happy.

Bears sophomore goalie Nate Skidmore (Syracuse, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) made 31 stops for his second victory of the season. Erickson finished with 38 saves, dropping his first decision this year.

Potsdam is back home next Friday at 7 p.m. when the Bears host first year program Stevenson. The Bears then head to Utica to face the Pioneers at the same time on Saturday night.