AUBURN, Mass. – #6 Plymouth State University fired 52 shots on goal, but Anna Maria College got a herculean effort from its goaltender to top the Panthers, 4-1, in non-conference men's ice hockey action at Horgan Arena on Tuesday night.
The Panthers made good on a first period power play chance to take a 1-0 lead, though the advantage could easily have been more. PSU held a 23-10 advantage in shots during the opening period, but in a sign of things to come, the AMCATS goalie made save after save.
Play evened out in the second period and a defensive miscommunication left an AMCATS' skater alone in front to tie the game at the 12:16 mark. Anna Maria jumped in front in the final minute of the period on a perfectly placed shot during a 3-on-2 to make it 2-1.
The ice tilted back in PSU's favor in the third, but despite heavy zone pressure Plymouth State couldn't pot the equalizer. Anna Maria doubled the margin on a breakout chance midway through the frame, then added an empty netter to account for the final score.
Plymouth State suffers its first loss of the year to slip 3-1-0 on the season, while Anna Maria evens out a 2-2-0.
The Basics:
- #6 Plymouth State 1, Anna Maria 4
- Plymouth State (3-1-0)
- Anna Maria (2-2-0)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State nearly took a first period lead on a power play, but a one-timer off the stick of sophomore Rider McCallum (Langley, British Columbia) found the pipe.
- Just 13 seconds later another AMCATS penalty gave PSU a 5-on-3 opportunity. Though the Panthers couldn't cash in with the two-man advantage, senior Anton Jellvik (Taby, Sweden) converted a feed from classmate Carson Lanceleve (Stewiacke, Nova Scotia) before the second penalty expired to give PSU a 1-0 lead at 9:18 of the first.
- Plymouth State nearly doubled the lead with a short-handed strike when senior Matt Tartaglio (Houston, Texas) entered the zone with classmate Colin Tracy (Concord, N.H.) on his left. Tartaglio pushed the puck wide to Tracy, but his quick shot from the circle found the goalie's glove.
- The hosts picked up the pressure late in the period during a power play chance, but senior Kalle Andersson (Taby, Sweden) made five saves to keep the lead.
- The Panthers opened the second period with a flurry of shots, but the Anna Maria goaltender was up to the challenge.
- The hosts pulled even with 7:44 left in the period when an AMCATS skater was left all alone in front of the goal and he buried the feed from the end boards to tie the game at 1-1.
- Plymouth State's penalty kill successfully held off the AMCATS during a 5-on-3 late in the period, but less than 90 seconds after the kill a neutral zone turnover led to a 3-on-2 break and Anna Maria planted a shot in the top right corner to go in front, 2-1, with less than a minute remaining in the period.
- Anna Maria made it a two-goal game midway through the third when a bouncing puck got behind the defense leading to a breakaway chance, and he tucked a wrister inside the far post.
- The AMCATS added an empty net goal with 1:32 left to play to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Jellvik's tally was his first of the year. He also won 15-of-24 in the faceoff circle.
- Andersson made 31 saves in the losing effort, but his counterpart turned aside 51 for the win.
- Plymouth State outshot the AMCATS by a 52-35 margin, including 23-10 in the opening period.
- The Panthers' penalty kill unit held Anna Maria scoreless in five chances.
- PSU's power play wasn't much better, though, converting 1-of-6.
- Anna Maria has been a thorn in the side of the Panthers of late. Though PSU owns a 5-2-1 record all time, the AMCATS have won each of the last two years.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State returns to MASCAC action on Thursday (Nov. 9) with a trip to Westfield State. Puck drop is set for 7:35 p.m.
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