Panthers drop one-goal contest to Cadets in First Round

            NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Sophomore William Pelletier (St. Jean Chrysostome, Que.) scored two goals Saturday evening to lead Norwich University to a 3-2 victory over Plymouth State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III men's ice hockey playoffs at Kreitzberg Arena.

            The Cadets, 25-3-1, advance to an NCAA quarterfinal game next Saturday, Mar. 21, at Amherst College.  The Panthers, who opened the season with a 9-1 loss to Norwich, had a four-game winning streak stopped and end their season with a 16-9-3 record.

            Norwich had a 34-17 advantage in shots on goal. Junior goalie Gordon Ceasar (Oak Park, Calif.) kept the Panthers in the game, finishing with 31 saves.

            Plymouth State got on the scoreboard first just two minutes and 23 seconds into the game when sophomore Mike Economos (Crystal Lake, Ill.) snapped a wrist shot from the left circle over the goalie's shoulder into the top right corner of the goal. He was set up on a pass from behind the net by sophomore Dan Dupell (Collegeville, Pa.)

            The Cadets answered with two goals in a span of three minutes.  Pelletier put a shot on net from the high slot that went through traffic in front to tie the game with 13:44 on the clock, and Pelletier set up classmate Austin Surowiec (Louisville, Ky.) from behind the net to the left circle for a power play goal with 10:49 showing.

            Norwich nearly extended its lead late in the period but a goal was waved off after being knocked in by a high stick by sophomore Anthony Flaherty (South Boston, Mass.)

            Neither team was able to score in the second period despite two power play attempts for Norwich and one for PSU.  The best opportunity was by Plymouth State with seven minutes left in the period when Dupell chased down the puck in the offensive zone to prevent icing and set up freshman Riley Flanagan (Weymouth, Mass.) in front but Flanagan's shot was stopped by sophomore goalie Ty Reichenbach (Billings, Mont.)

            The hosts scored what turned out to be the winning goal with 6:42 remaining in the third period during a 4-on-4 situation as Pelletier converted pass from freshman Alex Brandrup (Rochester, Minn) with a backhander past Ceasar. PSU cut the margin back to one goal with 4:28 remaining with sophomore Ian McGilvrey (Omaha, Neb.) converting a 2-on-1 with sophomore Tord Thoresen (Oppegard, Norway).

            Both teams were whistled for penalties in the final three minutes. PSU was able to pull Ceasar from the goal in the final minute but the clock ran out on the Panthers' season.

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