MIDDLEBURY, N.Y.—Three times the SUNY Potsdam hockey team (5-5-2) built two-goal leads over Skidmore College, but were forced to settle for a 4-4 tie with the Thoroughbreds (4-7-1) on the final day of the Middlebury Holiday Classic. Freshman forward Trevor Cope led the Bears with two goals and two assists. Senior captain Sy Nutkevitch added a goal and three assists and senior goaltender Kevin McFarland made 56 saves. McFarland was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and Nutkevitch earned All-Tournament recognition.

Potsdam held off an early Thoroughbred charge thanks in part to the strong play of McFarland. After weathering the storm, the Bears offense got rolling. At the 7:12 mark, Nutkevitch found Cope in the high slot. Cope ripped a slap shot past Skidmore goalie John Bienkowski. Senior defenseman Hunter Syrydiuk also recorded an assist on the play. Nearly seven minutes later, sophomore defenseman Kevin Carpenter blasted a shot from the point and Nutkevitch backhanded the rebound home to give Potsdam a 2-0 lead. Cope picked up the second assist on the goal. McFarland stopped all 18 shots he faced in the first 20 minutes as the Bears carried the 2-0 lead into the intermission.

The Bears were unable to capitalize on a five-minute power play early in the second period and the Thoroughbreds quickly responded. At 6:47 Erik Nilsson set up Tim Colvin in front to cut the lead to 2-1. Six minutes later, Potsdam regained the two-goal lead. At the 12:56 mark, Cope beat Bienkowski high to make it 3-1. Place and Nutkevitch each notched assists. After the goal Bienkowski was replaced by freshman Brad Cray. At 18:20, Tony Giacin fired the puck past a sprawling McFarland to get Skidmore back to within 3-2. Julian Malakorn and Alex Essaris each tallied an assist.

The Bears capitalized on a power play at 7:32 of the third period to grab a 4-2 advantage. Sophomore defenseman Nick Avgerinos beat Cray with assists from Cope and Nutkevitch. Again the Thoroughbreds climbed back to within one at the 13:03 mark. Vlad Gavrik fed Jack Walsh in front and Walsh clanged a shot off the post over McFarland’s shoulder and in to close to 4-3. The goal gave Skidmore momentum and the Thoroughbreds intensified their pressure. With just 48 seconds left, David Limoges fired the puck from the side of the net off of a Bear and into the goal for an extra-attacker marker to send the game to overtime.

Skidmore rang the post in the extra session, but neither team could find the decisive score.

Bienkowski made 16 saves for the Thoroughbreds and allowed two goals in 29:35 and Cray finished with 10 saves and two goals allowed in the remaining 34:38. Skidmore outshot the Bears 60-32.

Potsdam faces the Thoroughbreds again on Jan. 6, when Skidmore invades Maxcy Ice Arena at 7 p.m.