NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Senior
Ethan Stuckless (Conception Bay South, Newfoundland) registered a pair of assists to join the 100-point club, while sophomores
Andrew Stuckless (Conception Bay South, Newfoundland) and
Will Pray (Prague, Czech Republic) each scored twice as Plymouth State University soared past Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, 7-1, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey game at Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink on Thursday night.
E. Stuckless becomes the 18th player in program history to score his 100th career point in a PSU sweater, and the 16th to tally all 100 points for the Panthers.
The win, coupled with Anna Maria's loss to Salem State, leapfrogs the Panthers back into the top spot in the MASCAC. PSU's 43 points are two more than Anna Maria, with the two teams set to meet for the regular season title at Hanaway Rink on Saturday. Plymouth State would claim an eighth straight title and the top spot for the MASCAC Tournament with a regulation win or any overtime result.
Junior
Brendan Doyle (Stratham, N.H.) gave the Panthers a lead they wouldn't relinquish when he converted during a power play midway through the first. Senior
Dante Moretti (Columbus, Ohio) followed three minutes later, and A. Stuckless scored the first of consecutive goals as PSU took a 3-0 lead into the intermission.
A. Stuckless potted his second less than three minutes into the second and the rout was on. Pray made it 5-0 with a power play goal, with E. Stuckless recording his 99th point with the primary assist.
Senior
Cam Patton (Bible Hill, Nova Scotia) buried his 11th of the season as the lead ballooned to 6-0 early in the third. MCLA spoiled the shutout with a power play goal, but Pray took a feed from E. Stuckless during a man-advantage with less than four minutes on the clock to account for the final score and give E. Stuckless his career milestone.
Plymouth State jumps to 18-6-0 (15-2-0 MASCAC), while the Trailblazers slide to 4-18-2 and 4-11-2 in league play.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 7, MCLA 1
- Plymouth State (18-6-0, 15-2-0 MASCAC)
- MCLA (4-18-2, 4-11-2 MASCAC)
How it Happened:
- The Panthers opened the scoring with a power play goal midway through the first period. Sophomore David Matousek (Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic) hit Doyle streaking down the middle and Doyle's wrister got past the screened goaltender for a 1-0 lead at the 9:18 mark of the frame.
- PSU doubled the margin just over three minutes later as Matousek controlled a rebound and slid a pass through the crease where Moretti tapped it in.
- Junior Lucas Jones (Calgary, Alberta) skated down the right side before leaving the puck for the trailer, A. Stuckless, who whipped a shot from the right circle inside the far post with 1:37 on the clock as Plymouth State took a 3-0 lead into intermission.
- A. Stuckless struck again less than three minutes into the middle stanza to extend the margin to 4-0. Doyle hit him in the neutral zone and A. Stuckless coasted down the left side for a 2-on-1, before rifling a wrister over the goalie's glove at the 2:50 mark.
- Pray converted a cross-ice pass from E. Stuckless during a power play five minutes later as the lead ballooned to 5-0.
- Patton redirected a shot from the point by junior Rider McCallum (Langley, British Columbia) just over five minutes into the third to extend the margin.
- The Trailblazers spoiled the shutout bid with a power play strike three minutes later.
- E. Stuckless set up Pray in the slot for a power play tally with 3:17 left to play to account for the final score, giving him the historic milestone.
By the Numbers:
- A. Stuckless has four goals and an assist over his last five games.
- Pray now has nine goals and nine assists on the year. With one more tally he'll become the sixth Panther to score double-digit goals.
- Junior Brandon Shantz (San Antonio, Texas) made 33 saves to improve to 15-5-0.
- McCallum finished with three assists on the night, one of nine Panthers with multipoint games.
- Plymouth State doubled up the Trailblazers in shots, 68-34.
- The Panthers went 3-for-6 on the power play. MCLA finished 1-for-3.
- Plymouth State has won each of the last six meetings to lead the all-time series, 6-1.
Up Next:
- The Panthers welcome Anna Maria to Hanaway Rink for a crucial league game in the regular season finale on Saturday (Feb. 22). PSU's Senior Day ceremony will precede the 6:00 p.m. puck drop.
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