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March 14, 2008

Cardinals back in NCAA tourney

By JOHN CORYER

PLATTSBURGH -- Going four years between NCAA Division III Tournament appearances is a rarity for the Plattsburgh State men's hockey program.

But, that's how long it's been for the Cardinals, who dropped a 4-1 decision to St. Norbert in the Final Four semifinals at Norwich University during the 2003-04 season.

"We haven't been able to win our conference since then," said Plattsburgh State head coach Bob Emery. "Up until this season."

The Cardinals (23-4 overall) make their return to the tournament Saturday when they host Hobart College (18-7-2 overall) at the Stafford Ice Arena in quarterfinal action. At stake is a berth in the Final Four, which will be held in Lake Placid.

"This is the first trip to the NCAA Tournament for every player on our team, including the seniors (Mike Baccaro, T.J. Cooper and C.J. Tozzo)," said Emery.

"Our players don't have experience in the NCAA Tournament, but they've played a lot of hockey. It's not so much about the experience now, but the need to have the right attitude."

The Cardinals earned an automatic bid and opening-round bye in the NCAA Tournament with an exciting 4-3 win over defending national champion Oswego in the State University of New York Athletic Conference Tournament title game on March 1 in front of a packed house at the Stafford Ice Arena.

Plattsburgh State, in the previous three years, had a combined 51-33-7 record. Not bad, but not up to the high standards set by the Cardinal program.

And even Emery was taken a bit off guard by the team's showing this season.

"I'm surprised we're one of the top eight teams in the country in Division III," he said. "We weren't favored to win our conference, and were barely in the top 15 in the pre-season national poll."

The Cardinals entered the season minus 10 players who were members of the 2006-07 squad that finished 14-8-6 overall.

Of the 26 players on the roster that opened the season, 17 were either freshmen or sophomores. In fact, seven of the top 10 scorers for the Cardinals are either in their second or first year at the college.

"Some of the players that were lost from last season were good players," Emery said, "But, they didn't necessarily buy in.

"It's hard to predict what's going to happen. We have a young team, no doubt, I did, however, like the way we were playing at the start of the season. The freshmen have been a big part of the team's success. It's a big jump to Division III hockey and they have adjusted well.

"Instead of taking it as a 25-game season, we broke it down into 25 individual games this year and focused on the smaller picture."

Last year's 14-8-6 record could have been much different had Plattsburgh State done a better job in the close games. The Cardinals finished 0-3-6 in games decided by a goal or less.

All that has changed so far this season as the Cardinals sport a 7-2 mark in one-goal contests.

"This year, we have been much more timely," Emery said. "We're getting the right goal or the right save at the key times. And, we have played smart when we have needed to.

"Defense wins championships and you have to stress defense even more at certain times in a game. We have been able to win the one-goal games this year and that's important.

"It takes skill, leadership, hard work and dedication to be successful."

Quarterfinals set

In Wednesday's opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, Trinity skated to a 7-3 win over UMass-Darthmouth and St. Thomas was a 4-1 winner over Wisconsin-Stout.

Saturday's quarterfinals are set, with Hobart at Plattsburgh State, Manhattanville at Norwich, Trinity at Elmira, and St. Thomas at St. Norbert.

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