The Binghamton club hockey team faced off with the Hornets of SUNY Broome on Thursday in the second annual President’s Cup. After the success of last year’s event, the presidents of Binghamton and SUNY Broome, Harvey Stenger and Kevin Drumm, decided to up the ante. They bought all of the tickets at the SUNY Broome Ice Center, making admission free for all who attended.

Binghamton students were able to take advantage of a free bus ride to the Ice Center, and those who did certainly got their money’s worth out of the trip. The visiting Bearcats opened the scoring five minutes into the first period on freshman Peter Russo’s rebound effort. In the second period it was Russo scoring again, this time on a wrist shot that got past the Broome goalkeeper from far out. A late-second period goal turned out to be nothing more than a consolation prize, as the Bearcats kept a clean slate in the third period to see out the 2-1 win.

Peter Schlesier, a freshman majoring in economics and a forward for the BU club hockey team, fractured his arm in the second period. After the game, he had nothing but compliments for his teammates.

“Our freshmen stepped up today,” Schlesier said. “We had two good goals by Peter Russo, all in all everyone played great,”

A free game of hockey between two local schools certainly had the potential to get gritty. To the delight of many in the crowd, the potential was fulfilled. After a first period that saw nine penalties, students witnessed how physical the battle between the two teams could be.

Gigi Graham, a Binghamton junior majoring in environmental science, did not expect the game to be as physical as it was.

“I was surprised honestly,” Graham said, “It was really intense, on both sides.”

Other students were more impressed with how the event was put together. Ben Nelson, an undecided freshman at SUNY Broome, was delighted with Stenger and Drumm’s decision to pick up the tab.

“I love hockey and I think everyone should experience it,” Nelson said. “It’s a good way to promote the schools.”

While the mood in the stands was happy and easygoing for a majority of the game, there were bound to be some chippy moments on the ice to divide those in the stands. Major penalties in the second and third period for the Bearcats were met with jeers from the Hornets fans, with every check the Bearcats recorded increasing their displeasure.

“The crowd was definitely in it from the start,” said Dan Kowalsky a senior Binghamton forward majoring in economics. “We found a way to get a win, so it was a fun night.”

Kowalsky certainly played his part in getting the crowd into the game, as it was his major penalty that turned the game in a more physical direction.

Peter Russo, the man of the hour for the Bearcats, took a humble approach when he talked about the game.

“Our goalie had a great game,” Russo said. “He stood on his head, and we don’t win the game without him.”

When asked about his contributions in particular, he smiled, and managed to talk about himself for three whole words. “It was big,” he said before walking away with his teammates.

And it was big. Binghamton lifted the Presidents Cup, the Bearcat triumphed over the Hornet and thanks to the schools’ presidents, no one in the stands had to pay a cent.