PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior
Rider McCallum (Langley, British Columbia) scored the game's only goal 24 seconds into overtime to lift Plymouth State University over Westfield State University, 1-0, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey game at Hanaway Rink on Saturday evening.
Scoring opportunities were limited in the early going, but Plymouth State started to gain momentum in the middle period. The Owls' goaltender made multiple saves during back-to-back power play chances for the Panthers midway through the frame, though, and the game remained scoreless entering the second intermission.
PSU dominated play in the third period, outshooting the Owls by a 20-7 margin, but stingy goalkeeping forced the game into overtime. In the opening minute of the extra session, senior
Connor Tait (Boyds, Md.) had a close-range backhander kicked aside, but Tait recovered and fired the rebound to McCallum at the point. His one-timer was nearly stopped by the goalie, but the puck ticked off his pad and trickled over the goal line, leading to thousands of stuffed animals being thrown onto the ice from the 873 fans in attendance. The bears will be donated to Dartmouth Health Children's and Children's Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD) in the coming weeks to provide comfort and support to over 2,000 pediatric patients.
Prior to the game, special guest six-year-old Isabelle Fortier, a former CHaD patient, conducted a ceremonial puck drop. The annual event, co-sponsored by Plymouth State Athletics and Marketing Association of Plymouth State (MAPS), is in its eighth year.
PSU jumps to 7-3-0 (5-0-0 MASCAC), while the Owls slide to 4-6-0 and 1-3-0 in MASCAC play.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Westfield State 0 (OT)
- Plymouth State (7-3-0, 5-0-0 MASCAC)
- Westfield State (4-6-0, 1-3-0 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State's penalty kill unit was tested less than a minute in, but the Panthers were up to the task and an uneventful first period ended in a scoreless tie.
- PSU began to build some momentum in the second period and the Panthers had a great chance to break the ice when Westfield committed a pair of penalties midway through the stanza. Plymouth State had a two-man advantage for 35 seconds, but the Owls' goaltender came up with several key stops and the game remained deadlocked at 0-0 into the second intermission.
- Junior goaltender Brandon Shantz (San Antonio, Texas) came up big for the Panthers with a huge save as the Owls skated in on a 3-on-1 break two-and-a-half minutes into the third period.
- Shantz whipped a long pass to senior Donte' DiPonio (Trenton, Mich.) with 12 minutes remaining in regulation as the Panthers caught Westfield State on a line change, but DiPonio's blast from the right circle was gloved down and a follow up shot was saved.
- In the final minute of regulation, Westfield State forced a turnover behind the PSU goal resulting in a golden opportunity for the Owls, but Shantz made a phenomenal glove save to keep the game scoreless.
- Redick carried the puck the length of the ice before dumping it off for Tait in the opening minute of the extra frame. Tait's initial shot was turned aside, but he jumped on the rebound and fired a pass to McCallum at the point, whose one-timer deflected off the goalie's pads and just trickled over the line for the game-winner.
By the Numbers:
- McCallum's goal was his first of the season.
- Redick's assist moves him into a four-way tie for the team lead with seven, while Tait has nine points on the year.
- Shantz finished with 23 saves to earn his second career shutout.
- PSU held a 44-23 advantage in shots.
- Each team finished 0-for-2 on the power play.
- Senior Cam Patton (Bible Hill, Nova Scotia) won 17-of-22 faceoffs, while the Panthers went 38-25 on the draw.
- Plymouth State moves to 37-11-2 in the series going back to the 2008-09 season. The Owls handed PSU its lone conference loss a year ago.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State returns from the holiday break for the Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament hosted by Norwich University. PSU opens the weekend against Hamilton College on Jan. 3, with the consolation and championship games slated for Jan. 4.
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