(BOX SCORE)

PLATTSBURGH, NY—It took three overtime periods, but second-seeded Plattsburgh (18-4-4) slipped past Buffalo State (13-12-2), 4-3, in a SUNYAC semifinal game tonight at Stafford Ice Arena.

Mike Zannella (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca) had a goal and an assist to pace Buffalo State.  Drew Klin (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) and Kyle Whipple (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore West) also scored.  Tyler Nelson (Jamestown, NY/Falconer), Matt Bessing (Elma, NY/Cheektowaga), John Corrigan (Wethersfield, CT/Wethersfield) and Zach Hale (Sandy, UT/Liberty) each had one assist apiece.

After a scoreless first period, the Cardinals scored an early power-play goal and added another midway through the period to take a 2-0 lead, before Klin got the Bengals on the board at 15:43, assisted by Zanella and Nelson.  Plattsburgh would tack on another marker before the end of the stanza to take a 3-1 lead into the intermission.

The No. 3-seeded Bengals rallied with a pair of goals in the third period by Whipple and Zanella, who tied the game with 1:27 remaining, to send the game to overtime.  The two teams battled for another 51 minutes before Plattsburgh netted the game winner at the 11:07 mark of the third overtime period.

Buffalo State was 0 for 4 with the man advantage, while Plattsburgh finished 1 for 4.  The Bengals were outshot 71-41, with Kevin Carr (Unionville, ON/Unionville) tying a school record for saves in a game with 67. 

The Bengals close out their season having established a new school record for wins in a season with 13, and advanced to their first-ever SUNYAC semifinal game in program history.