PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior Taylor Thomas (Prior Lake, Minn.) scored her first goal of the season and Plymouth State University nearly completed an incredible comeback from a 4-0 deficit, falling to SUNY-Canton, 4-3, in a non-conference women's ice hockey game at Hanaway Rink on Saturday afternoon.
 
Playing in the annual Teddy Bear Toss game, it was the visiting Roos that raced out to the lead. SUNY-Canton jumped out to a 2-0 advantage less than six minutes into the contest and increased the margin to 4-0 at the 1:09 mark of the second.
 
Sophomore Emily DeSimone (Walpole, Mass.) got the comeback bid started just 37 seconds later when she redirected a shot from junior Isabella Borbridge (Calgary, Alberta). Following the goal, fans threw hundreds of teddy bears on the ice. Next week the bears will be donated to the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD), providing comfort and support to over 2,000 pediatric patients.
 
Thomas lit the lamp with a power play strike with 5:57 left in the middle frame and, after back-to-back Roos' penalties, including a five-minute major, senior Chantelle Ross (Ottawa, Ontario) slipped in a rebound goal with 5:03 left on the clock to make it a one-goal game.
 
With the major penalty not expiring until the final five seconds, PSU maintained a skater-advantage and pulled the goalie for the final 1:21, but SUNY-Canton was able to hold off the comeback bid and eke out the win.
 
Plymouth State slips to 2-9-0, while the Roos improve to 10-1-1.
  
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 3, SUNY-Canton 4
  • Plymouth State (2-9-0)
  • SUNY-Canton (10-1-1)

How it Happened:

• The Roos took the lead 3:04 into the first on a slap shot from the top of the left circle.
• SUNY-Canton doubled the margin less than three minutes later when a shot from just inside the blue line on the right side was redirected in the slot to make it 2-0.
• The visitors extended the lead to 3-0 at the 12:59 mark of the opening frame when a long pass from the defensive zone split three PSU defenders, leading to a 1-on-0 breakaway that was converted.
• SUNY-Canton pushed the margin to 4-0 just over a minute into the second period on another redirection.
• DeSimone got the Panthers on the board just 37 seconds later, though, when she got a stick on a shot from Borbridge to make it a 4-1 game.
• Plymouth State maintained heavy zone time during three power play chances in the middle period. On the third opportunity, Thomas buried a low angle shot from the top of the right faceoff circle to cut the margin to 4-2.
• During a 5-on-3, Ross snagged a rebound on the left side and slipped the puck past the Canton goaltender to trim the deficit to one, 4-3, with 5:03 to play.
• Still on a skater-advantage, Plymouth State pulled the goalie for a 6-on-4 over the final 1:21. The Panthers had several close chances but were unable to pot the equalizer.

By the Numbers:

• Plymouth State had a narrow 29-28 advantage in shots, and a 21-11 margin over the final two periods.
• DeSimone and Ross each added an assist to their goals to finish with two points, while Borbridge had a pair of helpers.
• Junior Robyn Grant (Airdrie, Alberta) and graduate student Siri Brett (East Wenatchee, Wash.) also recorded assists.­­­
• Junior Amelia Julian (Apple Valley, Minn.) finished with 24 saves.
• Senior Addie Swanson (Eagle River, Alaska) won 18-of-27 faceoffs.
• PSU went 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Panthers did not commit a penalty.

  
Up Next:

• Plymouth State returns to the ice on Jan. 3 when the Panthers head to Trinity College for a 7:00 p.m. non-conference clash with the Bantams.

 
 
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