PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior
Jacob Laurin (Stockholm, Sweden) scored on a rebound to snap a 1-1 tie in the third period and Plymouth State University added an insurance tally later in the frame to skate past Westfield State University, 3-1, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey game at Hanaway Rink on Thursday night.
The teams entered the final stanza deadlocked at 1-1 after each team tallied a power play goal over the first two frames. Laurin scooped up rebound in the slot and slipped the puck inside the left post 3:17 into the third and sophomore
Anton Nasstrom (Ornskoldsvik, Sweden) beat the Westfield goaltender on a 2-on-1 break midway through the period to wrap up the win.
Plymouth State wins its fifth straight to improve to 13-4-2 and remains atop the MASCAC with a 10-1-2 mark. PSU has won at least 10 league games every year since joining the MASCAC for the 2009-10 season. Westfield State dips to 8-8-2 and 3-6-2 in conference play.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Westfield State 1
- Plymouth State (13-4-2, 10-1-2 MASCAC)
- Westfield State (8-8-2, 3-6-2 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State took advantage of an early power play opportunity when junior Myles Abbate (Norwell, Mass.) gathered the puck in the corner before skating into the slot and ripping a shot just past the goaltenders outstretched leg at 7:40 of the opening period.
- Westfield State had a prime chance at the equalizer about five minutes later when sophomore Gianluca Marini (Lighthouse Point, Fla.) skated in all alone, but sophomore goalie Kalle Andersson (Taby, Sweden) batted the puck aside to preserve the lead.
- The Owls cashed in on a power play chance of their own late in the second period when senior Jake Ratcliffe (Auckland, New Zealand) one-timed a shot just under the Andersson's glove to tie the game at 1-1.
- Graduate student Peter Laviolette (Longboat Key, Fla.) made a move around a defender and nearly put PSU back in front in the final minute, but his shot sailed just wide of the goal.
- Junior Lukas Holmqvist (Lerum, Sweden) blasted a shot from the blue line forcing the Westfield goalie to make a kick save. The loose puck ended up right in the slot for Laurin, who deposited it to the back of the net for the game winner 3:17 into the third.
- Freshman Ethan Stuckless (Conception Bay South, Newfoundland) collected a high pass along the halfwall from Laurin midway through the third leading to a 2-on-1 break. Stuckless hit Nasstrom with a tape-to-tape pass and Nasstrom cashed in, lifting a wrist shot over the right shoulder of the goalie to cap the scoring with 10:47 left to play.
By the Numbers:
- The Panthers launched 103 total shots, with 50 ending up on target as Westfield State blocked 28 attempts. The Owls finished with 27 shots on goal.
- PSU was 1-for-3 on the power play, while Westfield went 1-for-2.
- Senior Grant DeWitt (Bowling Green, Ohio) won 14-of-18 draws, while the Panthers controlled the faceoff circle, 46-26.
- Abbate has scored a goal in five of his last six games, while Nasstrom notched a goal and an assist for the second straight game. Laurin has four points over his last two games.
- Andersson finished with 26 saves to pick up his eighth win of the season (8-2-1).
Up Next:
- Plymouth State visits the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Saturday (Feb. 5) for a 5:00 p.m. clash with the Corsairs.
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