GENESEO, N.Y. - SUNY Geneseo first-year forward Jason Stephanik tallied his first collegiate goal and added an assist, but it was visiting Buffalo State scoring the game-winning goal 2:28 into overtime to hand the Knights a 3-2 setback in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) men's ice hockey action, Saturday  night.

Geneseo (6-4-1, 5-4-0 SUNYAC) wasted little time getting on the board as Stephanik threw a shot on goal from the left boards just inside the blue line that deflected off Bengal goalie Ian Sylves' right pad. First-year forward Trevor Hills tucked the short rebound inside the right post to give the Knights a 1-0 lead with 18:56 on the first-period clock. 

However, Buffalo State answered less than four minutes later after Ben Kramer intercepted a Knights' pass in the neutral zone that Nick Berst sent up the left boards to a cutting Taylor Pryce, who made a nice move across the front of the goal and slipped a shot past Geneseo senior goalie Nick Horrigan inside the right post to tie the game, 1-1, at 15:03.

Buffalo State took a lead into the first intermission on a similar goal after Jason Zaleski picked off a Geneseo pass in the neutral zone and fed Ryan Salkeld, who poked home his own rebound after Horrigan saved his initial shot from close range with 2:34 left in the period. 

With 2:22 left in the second period, Geneseo netted the equalizer after Buffalo State turned the puck over to the Knights' forecheck on a pass from behind its own goal. Hills darted in front of the cage and tipped the puck to senior forward Tyler Brickler, who fed Stephanik for a shot from the low slot that beat Sylves.

Heading to overtime following a scoreless third period, Buffalo State would net the decisive goal after Salkeld crossed a puck from the left face-off circle in the Geneseo zone to Zach Nieminen, who scored on a shot from inside the right face-off circle to clinch the win. 

Horrigan was credited with 24 saves in the loss, while Sylves compiled 38 stops in the victory. 

Geneseo is off until the New Year when it travels to Michigan to take on Adrian on Jan. 6. The Knights will open the home portion of the new semester with games against Elmira (Jan. 9) and Hobart (Jan. 10). All three games are slated to start at 7:00 p.m.