PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior forward Payton Schaly (Orillia, Ontario) has been named the Plymouth State University Male Athlete of the Month for January, sponsored by the New Hampshire Army National Guard, following one of the most consistent scoring stretches in recent program history for the Panther men's ice hockey team.
 
Schaly totaled nine goals and three assists for 12 points in January, averaging 1.33 points per game, including two power-play goals. He scored in each of the first six games of the month, extending his goal-scoring streak to eight straight contests dating back to December.
 
He opened January with goals on back-to-back days against No. 5 Hamilton (Jan. 2) and Skidmore (Jan. 3), including the game-sealing empty-netter in a 5-3 victory over the Thoroughbreds. Schaly continued the streak with a goal at No. 7 Babson on Jan. 9, then notched his first multi-goal effort of the month on Jan. 10 at Southern Maine, scoring twice on five shots.
 
The run continued with a power-play goal at New England College on Jan. 17, followed by a goal and an assist in a 5-4 win over VTSU Castleton on Jan. 23. His goal and point streak ended in a tie against Norwich on Jan. 24, but Schaly responded with his most productive outing of the month on Jan. 30 at WestConn, recording a three-point performance with a goal and two assists in a 4-3 victory.
 
He capped the month with a power-play goal in a 4-3 win at Keene State on Jan. 31, finishing January as a central contributor to PSU's offense.
 
Schaly's nine goals mark one of the program's top single-month scoring totals and the most since Andrew Wigg also scored nine in January 2015.
 
Plymouth State (12-9-1, 9-5-0 LEC) hosts New England College in conference play on Saturday (Feb. 14) at 6 p.m. The Panthers are currently third in the LEC with 27 points with three games remaining.