POTSDAM, N.Y. – Junior Matt Rhymer (Kingston, Ontario) scored the game-winning goal with 6:47 remaining in the third period to give the SUNY Potsdam men’s hockey team a 6-5 victory over Skidmore Tuesday in a wild non-conference affair at Maxcy Hall Ice Arena.

With the game in the balance after Skidmore (1-2) tied the game at 5-5 with a pair of goals in a one-minute span midway through the third, Rhymer took a pass from junior Sy Nutkevitch (Montreal, Quebec) in front of the net and slapped it past the goaltender. It was the third goal of the season for Rhymer, who erased memories of three penalties from earlier in the contest.

The Bears (3-5 overall) were able to prevail despite squandering leads of 3-1, 4-2 and 5-3 during the first 50 minutes of action and struggling through a rash of 10 penalties for the game. Potsdam faced similar struggles in losses to Fredonia (Friday) and Buffalo State (Saturday) over the weekend.

“That’s the reason you play quality non-conference opponents,” Potsdam coach Chris Bernard said. “It’s a challenge. We were in a position to give the game to them by taking too many penalties and letting our foot off the gas. I think tonight the difference was we found a way to be resilient and get a win, so that’s got to be a step in the right direction.”

Senior captain Fraser Smith (Fonthill, Ontario) got the scoring started in the first period with a deflection in front of the net off a shot from the point. Senior Patrick Choules (Bradford, Ontario) and junior Hunter Syrydiuk (Toronto, Ontario) were credited with assists on the play.

After a Potsdam turnover in the zone led to Skidmore tying the contest at 1-1, the Bears struck twice in a 30-second span with short-handed, unassisted score by senior forward Colin MacLellan (Whitby, Ontario) followed by a goal from Nutkevitch.

“(The quick start) was huge,” Bernard said. “I think we’re pressing a little bit coming into the game, so a good offensive output at the start gave is a little relief.”

Potsdam kept the heat on in the second, scoring just 20 seconds into the period on a shot from the blue line by Syrydiuk, his first goal of the season. The Thoroughbreds scored moments later to cut their deficit to 4-2, but the Bears held on for the rest of the period, led by a superb showing from the power play killing unit, which held strong during simultaneous penalties on two different occasions.

“It’s all about effort with all the guys on our penalty kill,” Bernard said. “It’s a thankless job in the sense that you’ve got to stop and start, get your stick in the lane and have good mechanics. As a coaching staff, you appreciate when the unit steps up like it did tonight.”

Junior goaltender Trevor O’Neill (Bobcaygeon, Ontario) finished with 36 saves for Potsdam, which was outshot 41-31 by Skidmore.

The Bears return to play on Friday, Dec. 3, with a home game against State University of New York Athletic Conference rival Plattsburgh. The puck is set to drop at 7 p.m. for Bear Pride Night at Maxcy Hall Ice Arena.