PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore
Andrew Stuckless (Conception Bay South, Newfoundland) and freshman
Matt Hale (Center Harbor, N.H.) each registered multipoint games as Plymouth State University held off Salem State University, 3-2, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey game at Hanaway Rink on Thursday evening.
Stuckless wasted little time getting the scoring started when he banged home a rebound just 2:10 into the contest. Salem State evened the score roughly three minutes later and the game remained deadlocked at 1-1 into the intermission.
Stuckless and Hale strung together quick passes to send junior
Brendan Doyle (Stratham, N.H.) in on a breakaway and Doyle slipped a shot inside the left post to regain the lead.
Junior
Will Redick (Collingwood, Ontario) was the beneficiary of a misplay by the Vikings defense early in the third when his centering feed deflected off a defender and past the goalie, but the visitors answered right back 41 seconds later to make it 3-2 and neither team would light the lamp over the final 16 minutes of action.
Plymouth State improves to 14-5-0 (11-1-0 MASCAC), while handing the Vikings their first road loss of the season. Salem State dips to 11-6-0 (7-4-0 MASCAC) and goes to 9-1-0 away from Rockett Arena.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Salem State 2
- Plymouth State (14-5-0, 11-1-0 MASCAC)
- Salem State (11-6-0, 7-4-0 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Stuckless knocked in the rebound off a shot by sophomore Sam Nichols (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) from the right side just 2:10 into the contest.
- Salem State responded less than four minutes later when a pass from the blue line found an open skater in front of the net and his turnaround shot slipped inside the far post.
- The visitors thought they'd taken a lead during a power play with six minutes left in the first, but officials waved off the goal due to a high stick.
- Plymouth State had a late power play and senior Connor Tait (Boyds, Md.) rifled a wrist shot off a rebound, but the Vikings' goaltender dove from post-to-post to deny the bid as the game went into the first intermission even at 1-1.
- A stretch pass created a breakaway chance for Salem State six minutes into the second, but junior Brandon Shantz (San Antonio, Texas) sprawled out and extended his left leg to seal the pipe.
- Shantz came up huge again roughly three minutes later as the Vikings flew in for a 3-on-2 chance when he got a skate on a shot headed for the far post to keep the game tied.
- PSU went back in front in the final minute of the period when Hale slipped a pass through the neutral zone to Doyle, who got behind the defense and beat the Salem State goalie to the stick side.
- The Panthers almost added another one 30 seconds later as Redick and sophomore David Matousek (Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic) came in for a 2-on-1, but Matousek's blast was knocked down and the goalie snared Redick's rebound chance to keep it a 2-1 game heading to the third period.
- Redick gave the Panthers a two-goal lead 2:30 into the third period when his centering feed deflected off a defenseman and into the goal, but the Vikings answered right back 41 seconds later to make it 3-2.
- Both teams would have chances over the final 16 minutes, but neither goaltender would budge. Salem State went empty net for the final 1:25 and Redick nearly put the game away with a long shot from the defensive zone, but the puck hit the pipe, though Shantz made one final stop to seal the victory.
By the Numbers:
- Stuckless finished with a goal and an assist for his first career multipoint game. He has three points in the last two games.
- Hale notched a pair of assists for the second straight game.
- Redick's goal was his league-leading 14th of the year, while Doyle potted his eighth of the season and has at least a point in each of the last four contests.
- Nichols picked up his first point in a Plymouth State uniform.
- Shantz tallied 29 saves to improve to 12-4-0 on the season.
- PSU held a 40-31 edge in shots and went 43-19 in the faceoff circle.
- Redick won 15 draws, while senior Ethan Stuckless (Conception Bay South, Newfoundland) won 14-of-16.
- The Panthers went 0-for-4 on the power play, while Salem State was 0-for-3.
- Plymouth State owns a 35-14-5 record against the Vikings and is 19-1-2 in the matchup over the last eight seasons.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State hosts UMass Dartmouth for another league game on Saturday (Feb. 1) at 6:00 p.m.
– 30 –
