PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Three separate players found the back of the net, but No. 5 Hamilton College powered past Plymouth State University, 7-3, in non-conference men's ice hockey action at Hanaway Rink on Friday night.
Taking the ice for the first time in more than three weeks, the Panthers fell behind 3-0 through the first 13 minutes before senior
Payton Schaly (Orillia, Ontario) lit the lamp late in the opening period to cut the deficit to 3-1 after one.
The Continentals used a four-goal second period to build a 7-2 lead, with senior
Brendan Doyle (Stratham, N.H.) providing Plymouth State's second goal. Sophomore
Luca Rea (Burlington, Ontario) capitalized on a Hamilton turnover for the lone tally of the third period to account for the final score.
Plymouth State moves to 7-5-0 on the season, while the Continentals, ranked fifth in the latest USCHO.com poll, remain unbeaten at 8-0-2.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, No. 5 Hamilton 7
- Plymouth State (7-5-0)
- Hamilton (8-0-2)
How it Happened:
- Hamilton opened the scoring at the 4:12 mark of the first period when a shot from the top of the right circle deflected off the near-side post and in.
- The Continentals doubled the margin five minutes later as a pass from behind the goal line was tapped home at the near side.
- The visitors extended the lead to 3-0 on a redirection goal with 7:13 remaining in the first.
- Plymouth State got on the board when Schaly collected a long pass from junior Eddie Mulligan (Lincoln, R.I.), then poked in the rebound of his own shot with just over three minutes left, making it 3-1 entering the intermission.
- Hamilton converted on a 5-on-3 power play less than two minutes into the second period to make it 4-1.
- The Continentals pushed the lead to 5-1 with a breakaway goal at 14:05, then added another at 15:49 to extend the margin to 6-1.
- Doyle answered just eight seconds later, battling through three skaters off the ensuing faceoff before snapping a wrister from the high slot inside the left post to make it 6-2.
- Hamilton added another goal during 4-on-4 action to carry a 7-2 lead into the third.
- A strong forecheck from junior Patrick O'Connell (West Chester, Pa.) forced a turnover behind the goal line, and Rea capitalized, slipping the puck into the open net to make it 7-3 with 8:01 remaining to cap the scoring.
By the Numbers:
- Doyle ranks second on the team with six goals.
- Schaly recorded his fourth goal of the season, while Rea added his third.
- Mulligan and senior Lucas Jones (Calgary, Alberta) tallied assists.
- Junior Connor Strobel (Butler, Pa.) and senior Brandon Shantz (San Antonio, Texas) combined for 34 saves.
- Hamilton held a 41-28 edge in shots.
- Plymouth State finished 0-for-3 on the power play, while Hamilton went 1-for-5.
- The game marked just the second meeting between the two programs.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State remains home on Saturday (Jan. 3) to face Skidmore in a 6 p.m. clash at Hanaway Rink.
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