The Oswego State Lakers would be crowned the 2023 Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic champions. It would be time for the championship of the 40th annual Comfort Inn Winter Classic at the Ronald B Stafford Arena and it would feature the classic rivalry this time with both of them ranked in the top 15 as the #15 Plattsburgh State Cardinals would host the #9 Oswego State Lakers. The game would start off great for the home Cardinals as they would score just 1:46 into the game on the breakaway goal from Adam Tretowicz. The Lakers would fight back and tie the game on the powerplay goal from Daniel Colabufo at the 13:47 mark of the period. Then with 34 seconds left in the first, the Laker's powerplay would strike again this time from Quinn Warmuth for the 2-1 lead. That would be all the scoring for the game but that would not be the whole story as the Cardinals would have there chances throughout the last two periods to tie the game but the Laker's defense would stand tall. With the win, the Lakers would be named the 40th annual Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic champions as the Cardinals fall to 9-4-2 on the season in front of a crowd of 1384. The Cardinals will be back in action next weekend Gallery

Wentworth's Jack McGovern (1) with the save on Potsdam State's Drew Rose (6) as part of a 24-save winning effort. It would be the consolation game of the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic and would feature the Wentworth Leopards and the Potsdam State Bears. It would take a bit to get the game going but the Leopards would get the opening goal of the game at the 11:52 mark of the first period on the powerplay from Josh Faussett for the 1-0 lead. The game would stay there till just under five minutes left in the second period when the Leopards would strike again on the powerplay from Nikolas Sombrowski for the 2-0 lead. Then the Leopards would be looking to put the game away early in the third period with the powerplay with the goal by Nolan Lowe at 5:31 to make it 3-0 Leopards. although the Bears were not going to go out without a swing as they would score 56 seconds later from Ryan Mahlmeister to make it 3-1. With 7:54 left in the game, the Leopards would regain the three-goal lead at 4-1 on goal by Jacob Shankar. Although again the Bears would strike right back 37 seconds later on a goal by Michael McArthur to make it a two-goal game again at 4-2. The Bears would keep fighting and with just over five minutes left in the game they would make it a one-goal game on the powerplay goal from Drew Rose. That would end the comeback attempt by the Bears though although not without chances down the stretch including a 6x4 in the final minute that they could not find the equalizer on. In the winning effort, Jack McGovern would make 24 saves on the afternoon as the Leopards go to 3-9-1 on the season the Bears fall to 4-11-1. Gallery

Saranac's Joey Mitchell (30) with the pad save on the scramble play in front of the net as he would have 44 saves in the shutout victory. It would be an interstate game today as the Rice Memorial Knights would come across Lake Champlain and face off with the Saranac Chiefs at Ameri-can North Sports Complex. The game would start off well for the home Chiefs as they would get on the board 36 seconds into the game on a breakaway goal from Landen Duprey and that is where the first period would end as it would be the only goal of the period. It would take all the way till the 14-minute mark if there was another goal in the second period. The Chiefs would find the net on a 5x3 powerplay goal by Ashtyn Caitlin as the Chiefs make it a 2-0 game. Then with 54 seconds left in the second period, the Chiefs would take control of the game with a goal from Adrian Barnes to make it 3-0. In the third period, the Saranac Chiefs' defense would stand tall hold the Knights' offense in check, and even kill a couple of penalties as they would secure the 3-0 victory. In the winning effort, Joey Mitchell would make 44 saves for the shutout as they went to 5-1-2 on the season. The Chiefs will be back in action at the Ameri-can North Arena as they take on the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid Lakers in conference action. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Brendan Young (15) with the off-balance shot from the face-off circle as he would add to two goals in the third period to seal the Cardinal's victory. It would be the second game of the day at the Comfort Inn Winter Classic and the host #15 Plattsburgh State Cardinals would be meeting up with the Wentworth Leopards for their first home game of 2023 in front of 1,100 fans. The game would start well for the home Cardinals as they would score just 2:13 into the game from Ryan Bonfield for the Cardinal's 1-0 lead. Although the Leopards were not just going lay down and let the Cardinals walk away with the game as they would even the game up at 1 at the 7:38 mark of the period on a goal from Luke Jefferies. The Cardinals would answer back in the final two minutes of the period on a goal from Luk Jirousek and take the 2-1 lead at the break. Although the Leopards were not going away and would come back again and tie the game at 2 at the 11:18 mark of the second period on a goal from Nolan Lowe. Once again the Cardinals would answer late in the period this time with under 30 seconds left in the period on a goal from Bennett Stockdale to take a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. From there Cardinals would hold on for the win as Brendan Young would score twice in the third period to seal the game away for the 5-2 victory. In the winning effort, Jacob Hearne would make 20 saves as the Cardinals go to 9-3-2 on the season and will face arch-rival #9 Oswego State Lakers in the championship of the Comfort Inn Winter Classic. Gallery

Oswego State's Cal Schell (30) with the save in the shootout on Potsdam State's Carter Lennon (4) to secure there spot in the championship. It would be the opening game of the 40th Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic as the Potsdam State Bears and #9 Oswego State Lakers would face off. The upset-minded Bears would get the first goal of the game just 5:24 in from Jack Bloem to take the 1-0 lead. That is where the game would stand till the 5:31 mark of the second period when the Bears would double their lead at 2-0 on the Justin Vernace goal. The Lakers would finally have an answer at the 8:30 mark of the period on the Connor Sleeth goal to make it a 2-1 game. Although just 90 seconds later the Bears would regain their two-goal lead on the Josh Bifolch goal at 3-1. Although the Lakers would come back on the powerplay about three minutes later and make it a one-goal game again. That is where the game would stay till about the 11:30 mark of the third period when Shane Bull would score for the Lakers and tie the game at three. That would be where the game would officially end as there was no scoring the rest of the period or in overtime but because of the tourney they would go to the shootout to decide it and the Lakers would win 2-0. So with that, the Lakers would advance to the finals of the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic. Gallery

Saranac's Nolan Miner (9) with the goal on the short side over the goalie to get the scoring started. It would be the battle for AC North as the two teams that both call Ameri-can North Arena home would faceoff in their first of two meetings on the season as the Saranac Chiefs would meet up with the Plattsburgh Hornets. The game would start off very well for the Chiefs as they would get the opening goal of the game just a minute into the game from Nolan Miner and the 1-0 lead. Then with about ten minutes left in the period, they would extend the lead to 2-0 on the goal by Ben Phinney and that's where the first period would end. In the second period, the Chiefs would stay hot as they would make it a 3-0 game just 2:25 into the period on a goal from Evan Patrie. Later in the period, the Chiefs would strike again staying hot as Landen Duprey would score to make it a 4-0 game. Then the third period would start just like the other two with a quick from Zach O'Connell although this time Jonathan Roy would add his own goal right behind O'Connell and make it a 6-0 game. From there the Chiefs would do the rest and get the 6-0 shutout victory and go to 4-1-2 on the season while the Hornets fall to 1-3 season. Gallery

Saranac's Zach O'Connell (88) would come down on the breakaway and score the game-winner in overtime and the dogpile was on. It would be the start of Champlain Valley Athletic Conference play as the Saranac Chiefs would host the Northeastern Clinton Cougars in a rematch of last year's semifinal game that saw the Cougars win in overtime. The game would start off well for the Chiefs as they would score just 1:44 into the match on the Landon Duprey to make it a 1-0 game. However, the lead would be short-lived as the Cougars would tie the game at one at the three-minute mark of the match from Owen Ebersol. That is where the game would stay till the 1:24 mark of the second period and in total, the Cougars would score three times in the first 5:20 of the period from Peyton Palmer, and two from Winnie Simpson for the 4-1. However, the Chiefs would go on a streak of their own scoring 4 goals in the tens and retaking the lead at 5-4 on goals from Nolan Miner (twice), Zach O'Connell, and Evan Patrie. Then during the third period, the Cougars would keep on fighting and get the equalizer at the 11:27 mark from Eddie Bullriss and from there the game would go to overtime. In that overtime period, Zach O'Connell would get the game-winner at 1:55 on the breakaway goal for the second of the night. In the winning effort, the Chiefs go to 3-1-2 season while the Cougars fall to 2-3 on the year Gallery

The Beekmantown Eagles would celebrate as they get the game-winner and stay perfect on the season. It would be a non-league game as the Beekmantown Eagles would host from Section X the Potsdam Sandstoners as both teams were looking to get the 2023 portion of the season started the right way. The game would start off well for the home Eagles as they would get on the board at about the five minutes of the first period on the Zach Lapier goal. The lead would only last about five minutes as the Sandstoners would tie the game at one. The game would stay there til there the 12:00 mark of the period when Sam Bingel would score to make it a 2-1 Eagles lead. The lead would be short-lived as the Sandstoners would tie the game at two. The Sandstoners would start off the second period hot as they would score three goals in the first two minutes and take a 5-2 lead. Then just 19 seconds later the Eagles would slow rush as they would get their own goal from Zach Lapier for his second of the game and make it a 5-3 game. Then at the 5:16 mark of the period, the Eagles would make it a one-goal game on the power play goal at 5-4. Then with under two minutes left in the period, the Sandstoners would regain their two-goal lead at 6-4. Then at the 7:48 mark of the third period, Cooper Burdo would score to make it a one-goal game again at 6-5. Then with 6:30 minutes left in the game, the Eagles would come all the way back and tie the game on Zach Lapier's third goal of the game. The game would head to overtime and in that period Keegan Seamone would score 1:44 into the overtime and get the 7-6 win. In the winning effort, the Eagles would stay perfect on the season at 7-0 while the Sandstoners fall to 5-3 on the season. Gallery

Andrew Alvidrez raises the buckle as he is crowned the 2022 Albany Invitational winner and winner for the second event in a row on the season and becomes the number one rider in the world. It would be the championship night of the PBR's return to Albany, NY after a 14-year absence and the packed house would be treated to a great performance by the cowboys and bulls on the night. It would take a score of 87 to make the championship round, and ten riders would be perfect on the weekend headed into the championship round. In the championship round, Rafael Jose de Brito would have the first pick in the final 12 as he scored 176.25 and would take Top Dollar. In the championship round, there would be four qualified rides and the top score of the round and the weekend would go to Mason Taylor with 89.5 and an event total of 178.5 which would be good enough for fourth on the weekend. When the dust would settle on the weekend there would be three riders that would ride all three bulls with Andrew Alvidrez getting the win for the second event in a row with a score of 264.5 rounding out the top three would be Boudreaux Campbell 2nd with a 260.75 ad Silvano Alves with a 254. Next up will be the first major of the year as they head into New York City and Madison Square Gardens and the question going into the weekend is will Andrew Alvidrez make it three in a row as he looks to extend his lead as the top rider in the world on the PBR Unleash the Beast tour. Gallery

Rafael Jose de Brito in perfect form as he rode Yukon to a 88.25 and have the lead after the opening night The PBR would make their triumph return to Albany NY and the MVP Arena after a 14-year absence and bring the Unleash the Beast Tour with the top 35 riders and bulls in the world and the fans that filled the arena would be there be entertained. With that it would be a night that you would say would be a draw as the buck off to ride rate was 18 rides on the night. The bulls were having issues on the early part of the night with traction on the dirt as the dirt was still a little wet that they had trucked in after all the snow that area has seen lately. With that being said the leader after night one would be Rafael Jose de Brito with a 88.25 second would be Andrew Alvidrez with 87.5 (going for a second win a row while Tate Pollmeier, Colten Fritzlan and Manoelito de Souza Junior would round out the top 5 on the night. The riders and bulls will be back in action tomorrow night as they will go for the second and championship round to determine the winner of the PBR return to Albany in the Albany invitational and who will have all the momentum as they head into the first major of the season next weekend at Madison Square Gardens in New York City. Gallery