Panthers' seven-game unbeaten streak comes to an end

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – A pair of streaks ended Saturday evening as Castleton State College pulled out a 4-3 overtime victory over Plymouth State University in non-conference men's ice hockey action at Hanaway Rink.

            Freshman Ryan Smith (Mississauga, Ont.) scored his first goal of the season a minute and 32 seconds into overtime to lift the Spartans to the victory, snapping a six-game losing skid. The outcome also ended PSU's unbeaten streak at seven games (5-0-2). Castleton is now 4-8 on the season while PSU is 5-3-2 overall.

            Smith's game-winner, a snap shot from the right circle over the goalie's shoulder, was set up by freshman Jimmy Burns (Middletown, N.J.) and senior Ryan Frost (Fullerton, Calif.). Burns carried the puck up the left side into the offensive zone, passed to Frost, who found Smith in scoring position for the game-winner.      Frost finished with a goal and two assists to lead the Spartan offense.

            Sophomore Mike Economos (Crystal Lake, Ill.) paced the home team with a goal and an assist, while classmate Ian McGilvrey (Omaha, Neb.) added two assists.

            Castleton, which hadn't played a game in a week, dominated the first period with a 10-1 shots advantage over PSU, which had played an overtime road game Friday night. Senior Brian Greene (Falmouth, Maine) gave the Spartans a 1-0 lead when he snapped a shot from the left point that found the back of the net at the 7:40 mark, and Frost capitalized on a Panther miscue to put the visitors up 2-0 after one period.

            PSU got on the board five minutes into the second period when sophomore Dan Dupell (Collegeville, Pa.), who rang a shot off the crossbar in the first period, converted a one-timer for a power play goal. Castleton maintained the 2-1 lead the rest of the period until PSU erupted for two goals in the final minute of play. Junior Andrew Wigg (Lantz, Nova Scotia) notched a power play goal with 47 seconds to go, and Economos followed with a go-ahead goal with just 3.4 seconds on the clock.

            Castleton needed just nine seconds of the third period to score the tying goal as junior Charles Bando (Wakefield, Mass.) put one past the goalie to even the score at 3-3. Third-period shots were even at 10-10, setting up the overtime session.

            Freshman goalie Brody Wagner (Shillington, Pa.) earned his first career victory for Castleton, making 23 saves, while Panther junior Gordon Ceasar (Oak Park, Calif.) finished with 26 stops.

            PSU is idle for final exams and the holidays before opening a five-game home stand at Hanaway Rink on Friday, Jan. 2, against Trinity College. Castleton plays again the same day in a non-conference affair at Nichols College. 

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