BABSON PARK, Mass. – Senior
Payton Schaly (Orillia, Ontario) extended his scoring streak with a goal, but No. 7 Babson College scored twice in the final seven minutes to get past Plymouth State University, 4-1, in a key Little East Conference (LEC) men's ice hockey game at Babson Skating Center on Friday night.
Entering the night, the Panthers held a narrow lead atop the LEC standings, sitting just two points ahead of the Beavers and idle Norwich University. The teams were equally matched through the opening period, but Babson scored twice in the middle frame to take a 2-0 lead.
Schaly cut the deficit in half with his sixth goal of the season early in the third period, but the Beavers restored the two-goal margin before sealing the win with an empty-net tally in the final minute.
Plymouth State moves to 8-6-0 (5-2-0 LEC), while Babson, ranked seventh in the latest USCHO.com poll, improves to 10-1-2 and remains unbeaten in league play at 5-0-1.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, #7 Babson 4
- Plymouth State (8-6-0, 5-2-0 LEC)
- Babson (10-1-2, 5-0-1 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Babson held a narrow advantage in shots, 14-12, in the opening stanza, but both goaltenders were up to the task to keep the game scoreless into the first intermission.
- The Beavers broke through early in the second, then used a power play tally midway through the frame to carry a 2-0 lead into the third period.
- Senior Will Redick (Collingwood, Ontario) snagged a loose puck in the offensive zone and found Schaly in the high slot, where he whipped a shot past the Babson goaltender to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 13:41 left to play.
- Babson restored the two-goal margin on a breakout goal with 6:34 left in regulation, then sealed the win with an empty-netter in the final minute.
By the Numbers:
- Schaly's tally was his sixth of the season – good enough for second on the team. He has a goal in each of his last five games.
- Redick picked up his 10th assist of the year. His 78 career assists are one shy of tying for second in program history.
- Plymouth State blocked 15 shots in the contest, with freshman Tucker Shedd (Holt, Mich.) posting a team-high three blocks.
- Senior Brandon Shantz (San Antonio, Texas) made 36 saves.
- The Beavers held a 40-33 advantage in shots and went 1-for-3 on the power play. Plymouth State finished 0-for-3.
- Babson leads the series, 8-2-1, though six of the meetings have been decided by a single goal.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to Southern Maine for another league game on Saturday (Jan. 10). Puck drop is set for 4 p.m.
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