FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Sophomore
Laura Castronova (Hauppauge, N.Y.) scored a pair of goals and Plymouth State University set a new program record for wins in a season as the Panthers knocked off Framingham State University, 4-2, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) women's ice hockey game at Loring Arena on Thursday night.
With the score tied at 1-1, Castronova's first goal late in the opening period gave PSU the lead for good. The Panthers cashed in on a pair of overlapping penalties in the opening minute of the second. During the ensuing 5-on-3 opportunity, Castronova potted what would prove to be the game-winner with a nifty shot in the slot, and graduate student
Carsen Moffett (Kamloops, British Columbia) added an insurance tally during the same power play after cleaning up a loose puck in the slot just 27 seconds later to make it 4-1.
The three-goal margin would prove to be plenty, as PSU tightened up defensively. The Rams would add a goal with just over four minutes left on a breakaway, but that was one of just two shots allowed by the Panthers' defense in the final stanza.
Plymouth State picks up its program-best 11th win to improve to 11-6-1 (7-1-1 MASCAC). The victory also pushed the Panthers back into the MASCAC lead over idle Worcester State. The two teams are set to meet in a key conference clash on Saturday (Feb. 1) at Hanaway Rink at 2:00 p.m.
Framingham State stays winless at 0-15-0 and 0-9-0 in MASCAC play.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 4, Framingham State 2
- Plymouth State (11-6-1, 7-1-1 MASCAC)
- Framingham State (0-15-0, 0-9-0 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- Moffett won a contested puck and slid a pass to senior Jacqueline Martin (Smithfield, R.I.) at the top of the right circle, where her shot deflected off a defender and floated over the shoulder of the Rams' goaltender for a 1-0 lead 8:12 into the game.
- Framingham State evened the score with 3:19 left in the first period when the puck crossed the goal line during a scrum in front of the net.
- Graduate student Lauren McNeil (Ottawa, Ontario) set up Castronova's first goal when she sticked the puck free to keep it in the zone. Sophomore Emily Gerrie (Littleton, Colo.) grabbed the puck, then fed Castronova in the slot and her wrist shot found the top left corner for a 2-1 lead with 1:32 left in the frame.
- Plymouth State took advantage of overlapping penalties to start the second period. During a 5-on-3 just 57 seconds into the stanza, Gerrie again hit Castronova in the slot and she beat the goalie to the glove side to extend the lead to 3-1.
- The Panthers converted again on the same power play chance less than a minute later when sophomore Jamie Steinmetz (Madison, Wis.) ripped a shot from the right side. The shot was blocked right in front of the goal, but Moffett pounced on the loose puck and slipped it inside the right post for a 4-1 advantage.
- Plymouth State continued to attack, but brilliant goalkeeping kept the margin at three into the third period.
- The Rams scored on a breakaway goal with 4:11 left in the game to slice the lead to 4-2, but Plymouth State didn't allow another shot the rest of the way to seal the record-breaking win.
By the Numbers:
- Castronova's nine goals lead the Panthers and are tied for fourth in the MASCAC.
- Martin and Moffett each tallied a goal and an assist, with each registering their third goal of the year.
- Gerrie had a pair of helpers. Her ten assists are the most in the league.
- Plymouth State fired 59 shots and limited the Rams to 15, including just two in the third period.
- PSU went 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Rams were scoreless in four chances.
- Sophomore Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) made 13 saves to pick up her tenth win of the year (10-2-0), setting a new program record for goalie wins in a season.
- Senior Libby Carter (Franklin, Mass.) went 11-5 in the faceoff circle.
- PSU won the previous meeting with the first-year program by a 4-0 margin.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State welcomes Worcester State to Hanaway Rink on Saturday (Feb. 1) for a matchup between the top two teams in the MASCAC. Puck drop is set for 2:00 p.m.
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