Defending champs upend Panthers in MASCAC opener

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Defending Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) champion Salem State University got goals from five different players Thursday night en route to a 5-2 victory over Plymouth State University in the men's ice hockey conference opener for both schools at Hanaway Rink.

            The Vikings led 2-0 after one period, 3-1 after two, and extended the margin to 4-1 midway through the third period with a power play goal.  PSU cut the deficit to 4-2 with six minutes to play, but Salem sealed the victory with an insurance goal with three minutes remaining.  The Vikings improve to 3-0 overall (1-0 MASCAC), while PSU evens its mark at 1-1 (0-1 MASCAC).

            Sophomore defenseman Dan Smolinsky (Plymouth, Mass.) and junior forward Justin Roy (North Bay, Ont.) each scored their first goal of the season in the first period to stake the Vikings to a 2-0 lead.  PSU got on the board two minutes into the second frame when junior Bryan Kriner (Newport, R.I.) countered with his second of the season, cutting the Viking lead in half, but sophomore Josh Franklin (Wrentham, Mass.) gave Salem its two-goal lead back just before the end of the second period.

            Senior defenseman Sam Cannata (Bozeman, Mont.) scored a power play goal on a slap shot from the point at the 10:11 mark of the third period to put the Vikings up 4-1.  PSU senior David Rose (Haddonfield, N.J.) slammed home his first goal of the season after being set up on an outstanding individual effort from classmate Andrew Stewart (O'Leary, PEI) with 6:02 on the clock, but junior Giancarlo Capodanno (Mountainside, N.J.) finished off the second for Salem State with his first of the season with three minutes to play.

            Senior goalie James LaCour (Silver Spring, Md.) earned the win in the Vikings net with 25 saves.  PSU sophomore Jack Astedt (Angelholm, Sweden) took the loss with a 21-save effort.

            PSU is back on the ice Saturday with a MASCAC game at UMass Dartmouth (4:30 p.m.).  Salem State returns home to host Fitchburg State in a MASCAC encounter Saturday at 2:00 p.m. 

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