PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore
Jeromey Rancourt (Lewiston, Maine) scored 5:30 into the third period and junior
Brendahn Brawley (Morton, Pa.) came up huge in overtime as Plymouth State University and Worcester State University battled to a 3-3 tie in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey action at Hanaway Rink on Thursday evening.
PSU went into the third with a 2-1 edge, but the Lancers scored twice in a six-second span to pull ahead. Rancourt streaked down the middle as the extra skater during a delayed penalty less than two minutes later before whipping a shot to the back of the net to tie the game and Brawley and his counterpart wouldn't allow another goal the rest of the way.
Plymouth State moves to 8-4-2 (5-1-2 MASCAC), while Worcester State ends the night with a 6-7-1 mark, including 4-3-1 in league play.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Worcester State 3 (OT)
- Plymouth State (8-4-2, 5-1-2 MASCAC)
- Worcester State (6-7-1, 4-3-1 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State nearly grabbed an early lead when Rancourt found graduate student JR Barone (West Chester, Pa.) on the weakside during a 2-on-1 break with six minutes left in the opening period, but Barone was denied on the doorstep on an outstanding glove save by freshman goaltender Jakub Kubik (Uherske Hradiste, Czech Republic).
- PSU got on the board less than a minute later when sophomore Brett Lockhart (Braintree, Mass.) intercepted the puck at center ice and caught the Lancers in a line change, skating in alone and going to the forehand to beat Kubik to the glove side at 14:52.
- Junior Myles Abbate (Norwell, Mass.) doubled the lead 5:18 into the middle stanza when he grabbed a loose puck from behind the Lancers' net and whipped a wrister through traffic to the top left corner.
- Worcester State got one back with a power play tally late in the second period to cut the Panthers' lead in half.
- The Lancers pulled in front with a pair of goals just six seconds apart early in the third period. A second power play goal tied the game 3:39 into the period, and freshman Matt Kowal (Monson, Mass.) stole a pass and snapped a shot to the top right to put the visitors ahead six seconds later.
- Rancourt struck fewer than two minutes later when he jumped on the ice as an extra attacker on a delayed penalty, streaked down the middle and fired a shot that beat Kubik stick side.
- Action in the 3-on-3 overtime period was fast and furious with both goaltenders coming up with huge saves, highlighted by Brawley's six stops that preserved the tie.
By the Numbers:
- PSU outshot the Lancers by a 45-32 margin and controlled the faceoff circle, winning 58-of-78 draws.
- Worcester State took advantage of the power play, going 2-of-6, while the Panthers were scoreless in their only chance.
- Brawley finished with 29 saves, while Kubik turned aside 42 for the Lancers.
- Plymouth State had won the last six meetings between the two teams.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to MASCAC foe Framingham State University on Saturday (Jan. 22) for a 2:00 p.m. clash with the Rams.
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