Dear Cardinal Hockey Fan:

Plattsburgh State has a tradition of having some of the best fans in college hockey. This is evidenced by 12 straight years ranked in the top 10 for NCAA attendance, pack crowds for postseason games at Stafford Ice Arena and a loyal following on the road.

However, in recent seasons, the Plattsburgh-Oswego men’s hockey rivalry has been marred bye a few unfortunate incidents during games between the teams when some fans have repeatedly thrown objects onto the playing surface. These incidents have resulted in numerous delay of game penalties against the home team. A fun tradition has negatively affected the teams and competitions, when league championships are at stake.

This is unfortunate because this rivalry always brings out the best in the teams, campuses and communities. These perennial SUNYAC contenders have a storied rivalry that is one of the NCAA’s best.

That’s why we’re reaching out and appealing to our fans to once again rise to the occasion. The Oswego Athletics Dept. has made great strides to curb fan behavior from throwing bagels onto the ice. Now, we’re challenging you to match this act of sportsmanship by not throwing tennis balls at Stafford.

We encourage you to attend our game vs. Oswego on Jan. 25, but we ask you to please refrain from throwing any object on the ice. The penalties have affected your team negatively.

It’s time for a change, and the Plattsburgh State players and coaches have asked fans to cooperate in making new traditions a part of the rivalry. Cheer the loudest. Wear RED. Represent our institution in a positive manner.

All fans in attendance are asked to show your school pride by wearing something with “Plattsburgh State” or “Cardinals” on your clothing, and not to throw tennis balls on the ice at any point during the game.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support of our program!

Sincerely Cardinal Men’s Ice Hockey,

Head Coach Bob Emery

Captains Tom Breslin, TJ Cooper, Nick Rolls, CJ Tozzo and Joey Wilson