Panthers hold off Lancers to remain in first place

            WORCESTER, Mass. – Plymouth State University junior Josh Woody (Sunderland, Md.) netted the eventual game-clinching tally with 3:30 left on the second period clock Sunday afternoon to help the Panthers to a 3-2 victory over Worcester State University in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey action at the Hart Recreation Center.

            The Panthers move to 7-7-3 overall and remain atop the conference standings at 7-2-1, while the Lancers fall to 3-11-1 and 2-7-1 in league play.

            Sophomore Dan Dupell (Collegeville, Pa.) put the visitors on the board first with 12:58 off the clock in the opening frame. His score right in front of the net off of a major penalty was assisted by senior Mike Freitag (Westmont, Ill.) and junior Andrew Wigg (Lantz, N.S.).

            The Blue and Gold came right back and equalized the score 1-1 just before time expired in the first period. Senior Nathan Stanley (Meridian, Idaho) caught the glance of an initial shot by classmate Vinny Bohn (Spring Hill, Fla.) with 37 ticks left in the frame and just two seconds left on a power play.

            Plymouth State hit home a pair of goals two minutes apart to take over the 3-1 margin in the latter half of the second period. Sophomore Tord Thoresen (Oppegard, Norway) put the Panthers ahead with a shot from the left dot to the left corner with some help by Wigg and Freitag before Woody slipped one past WSU freshman net minder Tyler Fallica (Coram, N.Y.) for a key insurance marker. Sophomore Matt Vermillion (South Lyon, Mich.) and sophomore Ian McGilvrey (Omaha, Neb.) both assisted on the game-winner for the Panthers.

            The Lancers had chances with an extra man on the ice in the beginning and midway through the third, but could not take advantage of the opportunity.

            With time winding down in the period, the hosts pulled their goalie and found success with an extra attacker as senior Andrew Bates (Marblehead, Mass.) received aid on the play from senior Cody Osburn (Sacramento, Calif.) and sophomore Michael Dery (Grand Rapids, Mich.) with one minute left.

            As 32 seconds remained on the clock in regulation, junior Alex Taddeo (Franklin, Mass.) fired one in from the top of the point and senior Stephen Rock (Tulsa, Okla.) tried again on the ricochet, but they were both turned aside by junior Gordon Ceasar (Oak Park, Calif.).

            Ceasar (6-4-3) stopped 17 shots in the victory while Fallica collected 22 saves in 58:57 minutes of action.

            Both squads return to MASCAC play over the next week. Worcester State will play Salem State on Saturday at 2 p.m. while Plymouth State entertains Framingham State on Thursday at Hanaway Rink in a 6 o'clock match-up. 

(Courtesy of Worcester State Sports Information) 

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