FITCHBURG, Mass. – Senior
Niks Krollis (Riga, Latvia) went top shelf to pot the game-winning goal with less than five seconds remaining in overtime to lift Plymouth State University to a program-record 12th straight win as the Panthers staved off Fitchburg State University, 3-2, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey game at Wallace Civic Center on Saturday afternoon.
For the second straight game the 13th-ranked Panthers found themselves behind in the early going as Fitchburg lit the lamp just 71 seconds into the game. PSU pulled even in the late stages of the second period, but the Falcons responded less than two minutes later to regain the lead, 2-1.
Sophomore
Carson Lanceleve (Stewiacke, Nova Scotia) knotted the game at 2-2 with 4:44 remaining in regulation to force the extra frame.
Senior
Brendahn Brawley (Morton, Pa.) made a pair of key saves in the overtime period and Krollis received a pass in the slot, made a move around a diving defender and flipped the puck over the blocker of the Falcons' goaltender with just 4.8 seconds left on the clock to secure the win.
Plymouth State wins its program-record 12th straight game to improve to 16-3-1 overall and 13-0-0 in the MASCAC, while the Falcons slide to 8-8-3 and 6-4-3 in conference play.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Fitchburg State 2 (OT)
- Plymouth State (16-3-1, 13-0-0 MASCAC)
- Fitchburg State (8-8-3, 6-4-3 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- The hosts got on the board early when a rebound shot from the left side snuck under Brawley's arm for a quick 1-0 advantage.
- Fitchburg State would hold the lead into the late stages of the second, but sophomore Connor Tait (Boyds, Md.) knocked home a rebound into the open net during a power play with 5:45 left in the period. Senior Ted Austin (Sylvania, Ohio) fired a wrist shot on goal from the bottom of the right circle that was kicked aside by the goalie. Tait quickly pounced on the rebound to square the game at 1-1.
- The Falcons went right back in front just 1:50 later, though. Brawley made a save on a huge slapshot from the point, and stopped the follow up as well, but Fitchburg converted the third attempt to retake the lead, 2-1.
- The lead would hold until late in the third period. Plymouth State put heavy pressure on the Fitchburg defense during another man advantage and Lanceleve wrist shot got past the screened goaltender to knot the game at 2-2 with just 4:44 remaining in regulation.
- Krollis nearly won the game early in the overtime period, but the Fitchburg goalie made a sprawling save. The Falcons transitioned to a 2-on-1 break, but Brawley came up with a huge save to keep the game tied.
- Brawley was up to the test again with 1:07 remaining when he gloved a close-range bid during another 2-on-1 chance.
- Lanceleve skated in with less than 20 seconds to play, before losing his stick on a shot attempt. He got to the puck, though, and kicked it to sophomore Cameron Patton (Bible Hill, Nova Scotia) along the boards, and Patton whipped a pass to Krollis alone in front. The defenseman deked around a diving Falcons' skater before lifting a shot to the top left corner for the win.
By the Numbers:
- Lanceleve and Tait share the team lead with 11 goals apiece, while Krollis' tally was his fifth of the year.
- Patton added two more assists to his season totals and now has 11 points in just six games as a Panther.
- Lanceleve added a helper for a two-point game, while Austin, freshman Rider McCallum (Langley, British Columbia) and sophomore Ethan Stuckless (Conception Bay South, Newfoundland) also recorded assists.
- Plymouth State finished 2-of-6 on the power play, while holding the Falcons scoreless in seven opportunities.
- Fitchburg State outshot the Panthers by a 36-32 margin.
- Brawley finished with 34 saves.
- Plymouth State's 12-game winning streak is the longest in program history.
- The Panthers have won four straight against Fitchburg State, including all three meetings this year. Two of the contests were one-goal games, though.
Up Next:
- PSU remains on the road next Thursday (Feb. 2), when the Panthers head to Westfield State for a 7:35 p.m. matchup with the Owls.
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