PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Freshman
Étienne Tremblay-Mathieu (Québec City, Québec) recorded a hat trick and classmate
Tucker Shedd (Holt, Mich.) handed out three assists for the second straight game as Plymouth State University rolled past Western Connecticut State University, 7-2, in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's ice hockey matchup at Hanaway Rink on Saturday afternoon.
Tremblay-Mathieu scored each of the Panthers' first three goals, including a pair on the power play, and sophomore
Matt Hale (Center Harbor, N.H.) tallied for the second straight outing to stake Plymouth State to a 4-1 lead after two periods.
Senior
Will Redick (Collingwood, Ontario) converted on the power play for his 60th career goal, moving into sole possession of third place on PSU's all-time list, and freshman
Anthony Alvarado (Stockton, Calif.) made it 6-1 just 12 seconds later with his first career marker. The Panthers added their fourth power-play goal of the afternoon midway through the third before WestConn capped the scoring with a late strike to account for the 7-2 final.
Winners of five straight, Plymouth State improves to 5-3-0 (5-1-0 LEC), while WestConn remains winless (0-8-0, 0-5-0 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 7, WestConn 2
- Plymouth State (5-3-0, 5-1-0 LEC)
- WestConn (0-8-0, 0-5-0 LEC)
How it Happened:
- After killing off an early penalty, Plymouth State opened the scoring at 9:11 of the first when Tremblay-Mathieu blasted a slap shot from the bottom of the left circle for a 1-0 lead.
- WestConn tied it two minutes later as a quick shot from the left side found the top right corner.
- Tremblay-Mathieu regained the lead with his second of the night on a 5-on-3 advantage, ripping a one-timer from the high slot with 3:34 left in the period.
- Junior Connor Strobel (Butler, Pa.) came up big with a pair of key saves early in the second to preserve the advantage.
- Tremblay-Mathieu completed the hat trick on another power play at 7:31 of the second, taking a pass at the point, skating around a defender into the right circle, and wiring a shot inside the far post for a 3-1 edge.
- Shedd slotted a pass from the end boards to Hale during 4-on-4 play midway through the frame, and Hale deked the goalie before lifting the puck into an open net for a 4-1 lead.
- PSU broke it open early in the third with goals 12 seconds apart. Redick sniped a wrist shot into the top right corner to finish off a shortened power play at 3:25, and Alvarado scored his first career goal on a 1-on-1 opportunity created by junior Koby Howat (Honey Brook, Pa.).
- Junior Severi Sulonen (Turku, Finland) pushed the lead to 7-1 with another power-play tally at 7:28 of the period.
- WestConn converted on a 2-on-1 with just under six minutes to go to close the scoring.
By the Numbers:
- Tremblay-Mathieu recorded his first career hat trick and added an assist. He has 12 points over his last four games.
- Shedd extended his point streak to six games with his second straight three-assist performance.
- Redick finished with a goal and two assists and now has 60 career goals.
- Seniors Brendan Doyle (Stratham, N.H.) and Rider McCallum (Langley, British Columbia) tallied two assists each.
- Strobel stopped 20 shots in the win.
- PSU went 4-for-9 on the power play and held WestConn to 0-for-4.
- The Panthers held a 39-24 advantage in shots.
- This marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State visits Trinity College on Tuesday (Nov. 25) for a 7 p.m. puck drop. The Bantams are receiving votes in this week's USCHO.com national poll.
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