PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Freshman
Kim Hilmersson (Uppsala, Sweden) and senior
Will Redick (Collingwood, Ontario) scored to give Plymouth State University an early lead, but No. 9 University of New England used a four-goal second period to spoil the Panthers' season opener, 6-3, in non-conference men's hockey action at Hanaway Rink on Friday night.
Hilmersson potted his first collegiate goal less than two minutes in, and Redick doubled the margin at the five-minute mark as the Panthers came out hot. UNE struck early in the second, then rattled off three goals in a four-minute span to rally into the lead.
The Nor'easters extended the margin just 12 seconds into the third before the teams traded late goals to account for the final score.
Plymouth State starts the year 0-1-0, while UNE, ranked No. 9 in the USCHO preseason poll, opens at 1-0-0.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, UNE 6
- Plymouth State (0-1-0)
- UNE (1-0-0)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State struck first less than two minutes into play when Hilmersson beat the UNE goalie to the stick side with a wrister from the right faceoff dot.
- Redick doubled the margin less than four minutes later when he sniped a turnaround shot from the left side into the top right corner.
- UNE recovered from the slow start late in the period, but Plymouth State turned aside several chances take maintain the 2-0 lead into intermission.
- The Nor'easters came out of the locker room on a mission, cutting the margin in half just 1:12 into the second on a low-angle shot from the left side.
- Junior Koby Howat (Honey Brook, Pa.) blasted a one-timer on a short-handed breakout chance a few minutes later, but the UNE netminder made the stop. The Nor'easters took advantage, tying the game on a shot from the point at the 7:20 mark.
- UNE pulled ahead on a quick shot off an offensive-zone faceoff win just over two minutes later, then added another on a wraparound at 11:34 to push the advantage to 4-2.
- The Nor'easters extended the lead to 5-2 just 12 seconds into the third.
- Plymouth State had overlapping power plays, including 25 seconds of a 5-on-3, but UNE's defense clogged the lanes to kill off both penalties.
- The visitors added a backhander from the right side with just under three minutes remaining to make it 6-2.
- Sophomore Matt Hale (Center Harbor, N.H.) capped the scoring when he took a long pass off the boards and deked the goalie with a minute left to play.
By the Numbers:
- Hilmersson's goal was the first of his career.
- Redick recorded a goal and an assist.
- Senior Payton Schaly (Orillia, Ontario) and freshman Étienne Tremblay-Mathieu (Québec City, Québec) also tallied multi-point games, each registering two assists.
- Plymouth State held a 25-24 edge in shots.
- Both penalty-kill units were perfect, as PSU went 0-for-3 on the power play and UNE was scoreless in two opportunities.
- UNE leads the all-time series, 6-2-1.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State travels to Plattsburgh State on Saturday (Nov. 1) for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Cardinals.
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