PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Four different players scored as Plymouth State University handled Salem State University, 4-1, in the regular season finale as the Panthers claimed a fifth-straight regular season Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) regular season title on Senior Night and Alumni Day at Hanaway Rink on Saturday evening.
Junior
Myles Abbate (Norwell, Mass.) put the Panthers ahead late in the first period, and graduate student
JR Barone (West Chester, pa.) and sophomore
Whim Stalberg (Gotenburg, Sweden) increased the lead with second period markers. Sophomore
Jeromey Rancourt (Lewiston, Maine) put the game out of reach midway through the third.
Plymouth State (17-5-2, 14-2-2 MASCAC) claims its ninth regular season title in the last ten full MASCAC seasons, and as the top seed for the upcoming MASCAC Tournament PSU will earn a bye into the semifinal round. Salem State falls to 9-12-0 and 7-10-0 in league games.
Prior to puck drop, Plymouth State honored the athletes playing their final regular season home game for the Panthers: seniors
Simon Besner (North Lancaster, Ontario),
Jarrett Slear (West Chester, Pa.),
Grant DeWitt (Bowling Green, Ohio),
Ben Chipman (North Vancouver, British Columbia),
Mike McPherson (Somerville, Mass.) and
Ben Parker (Ashland, Mass.) and graduate students
Peter Laviolette (Longboat Key, Fla.) and Barone.
Plymouth State also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the men's hockey program in a brief ceremony during the first intermission featuring alumni of the team covering the entire span of the program's existence.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 4, Salem State 1
- Plymouth State (17-5-2, 14-2-2 MASCAC)
- Salem State (9-12-0, 7-10-0 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Abbate took over the team lead in goals with his 16th of the year when he knocked in the rebound of a shot from the right faceoff circle from Barone with 2:28 left in the opening period.
- Not to be outdone, Barone added his 16th of the season 5:01 into the second when he took a feed from McPherson at the blue line and whipped a wrist shot over the blocker of the Salem State goaltender.
- Stalberg and Rancourt worked a perfect two-on-one break and Stalberg flipped the puck into the top right corner six minutes later to make it 3-0.
- Rancourt one-timed a quick touch pass from Laviolette from the right side 8:31 into the third to stretch the lead to 4-0.
- The Vikings ruined the shutout bid with just under five minutes remaining.
By the Numbers:
- Rancourt and Stalberg each notched a goal and an assist, while McPherson also had a multipoint game with two helpers.
- Abbate and Barone finish the regular season tied for the team lead with 16 goals. Abbate leads the Panthers with 34 points, with Barone second with 27.
- Barone's goal was the 50th of his career.
- Sophomore Kalle Andersson (Taby, Sweden) logged the first 55:01 between the pipes, making 22 saves and allowing the lone Salem State goal. Parker came on in relief to make another two saves. He has yet to allow a goal in his career.
- Neither team was successful on the power play as both sides finished 0-for-3.
- PSU is 12-2-3 against the Vikings dating back to the 2016-17 season.
Up Next:
- With a first round bye, the Panthers have a long layoff before hosting a MASCAC Tournament semifinal game on Mar. 1 against the winner of the #4/#5 contest.
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