PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Will Redick (Collingwood, Ontario) notched his second straight two-goal game as Plymouth State University held off New England College, 4-2, in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's ice hockey contest at Hanaway Rink on Saturday evening.
After a scoreless first period, the Pilgrims jumped ahead with a power-play goal early in the second, but freshman
Tucker Shedd (Holt, Mich.) answered, and Redick gave PSU the lead for good with a power-play tally later in the frame. Junior
Will Pray (Prague, Czechia) extended the lead with a breakaway goal as the Panthers entered the third period with a 3-1 advantage.
NEC pulled within one midway through the final stanza, but Redick sealed the win with an empty-netter in the closing minute to account for the final score.
Plymouth State improves to 13-9-1 (10-5-1 LEC), while the Pilgrims fall to 7-16-0 (6-10-0 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 4, NEC 2
- Plymouth State (13-9-1, 10-5-1 LEC)
- NEC (7-16-0, 6-10-0 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Junior Connor Strobel (Butler, Pa.) made a key kick save early in the first to keep the Pilgrims off the scoreboard and the game remained scoreless into the first intermission.
- NEC converted during an extended power-play when a shot from the right circle was tipped in to take a 1-0 lead 3:14 into the second.
- Shedd tied the game four minutes later when he tucked a wrister from the right inside the far post to make it 1-1.
- Plymouth State pulled ahead with a power-play goal at 12:26 of the period when a long rebound caromed to Redick, who beat the NEC goaltender to the glove side for a 2-1 advantage.
- Less than a minute later, a pass up the boards led sophomore Matt Hale (Center Harbor, N.H.) on a breakaway. He flipped a pass to Pray, who deked the goaltender and finished with a backhand to extend the margin to 3-1.
- The Pilgrims cut the deficit to 3-2 midway through the third when a shot from the left side bounced off a skater in the slot and was punched in.
- NEC opted for the extra skater with just over two minutes remaining, but the Panthers' defense held and Redick sealed the win with an empty-netter in the final minute.
By the Numbers:
- Redick's 16th goal of the season is tied for third-most in the conference.
- Plymouth State owned a 41-27 shot advantage.
- Both teams went 1-for-2 on the power play.
- Shedd blocked three shots.
- Plymouth State sits fourth in the league standings with 30 points. The Panthers are two ahead of VTSU Castleton and four ahead of UMass Boston with two games remaining. The top four teams earn home playoff games.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State hosts Southern Maine for a Senior Day contest on Friday (Feb. 20) at 6 p.m.
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