POTSDAM, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team turned a one-goal deficit into a one-goal advantage in an 11-minute span to earn a 3-2 victory over Buffalo State in Eastern College Athletic Conference West action Saturday night at Maxcy Hall.

In her first game as a Bear, junior transfer Caitlin Manahan (St. Albans, Vt.) tallied three points, including the game-winning goal just over four minutes into the third period for Potsdam (1-0 overall, 1-0 ECAC West) in its 2010-11 regular season and home opener.

“It was our first game, and they’ve played five games already, so obviously we have to feel ourselves out, because we’re all new to one another here for the most part,” Potsdam coach Jay Green said. “It was a poised effort on our part to stay calm, play settled and come back.”

With a power play opportunity early in the third period, Manahan behind the net on a 3-on-2 breakaway and deflected the puck off the back of the goaltender for her first goal in a Potsdam uniform. Manahan, who transferred from Elmira College prior to the season, also posted two assists in the contest.

“I recruited her way back in high school, so we’re extremely excited to have Caitlin here,” Green said. “She’s a player who can control the play, she’s smart, she can skate and she’s a great lateral player. Her being here tonight was a big part of our success.”

The teams battled back and forth in the first period without either team finding a dangerous scoring opportunity until the 5:59 mark. Junior Annmarie Lewis (Newmarket, Ontario) took Stephanie Simons’ shot off the boards and put it past the goaltender for the Bears’ first score of the year.

Buffalo State (1-4, 0-3) evened the count at 1-1 just one minute into the second period when Bears goaltender Jenn Conophy (Glenmont, N.Y.) was partially screened on a shot from the point. The Bengals took the lead just under six minutes later when Lauren Mallo rebounded a miss by Amanda Johnston on a 2-on-1 breakaway.

The Bears tied the game on the power play with 5:34 remaining in the second when Lewis scored her second goal of the contest on a beautiful pass in front of the net by Manahan. Junior Breanna Roy (Orleans, Ontario) also assisted on the goal.

Conophy finished with 30 saves for the Bears.

Potsdam and Buffalo State return to the ice for the second contest of the two-game series tomorrow at 2 p.m.