PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Freshman
Kim Hilmersson (Uppsala, Sweden) scored for the second straight game, but No. 11 Babson College used a pair of second-period power-play goals to get past Plymouth State University, 3-1, in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's ice hockey contest at Hanaway Rink on Saturday afternoon.
Plymouth State closes the regular season at 14-10-1 (11-6-1 LEC) and will be the No. 3 seed in next week's LEC Tournament. The Beavers, ranked 11th in this week's USCHO.com national poll, improve to 19-4-2 (14-3-1) and secure the No. 2 seed.
PSU will host No. 6 seed VTSU Castleton in a first-round matchup on Wednesday (Feb. 25) at 6 p.m.
Hilmersson opened the scoring with a power-play goal early in the second period. Babson responded with three goals in a five-minute span – including two power-play tallies following a major penalty – to take a 3-1 lead into the third.
The Panthers controlled much of the final stanza, outshooting the Beavers 17-9, but Babson's goaltender stood firm to preserve the victory.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, No. 11 Babson 3
- Plymouth State (14-10-1, 11-6-1 LEC)
- Babson (19-4-2, 14-3-1 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State generated the game's first quality chance at the 6:10 mark of the opening period when a turnover led to a 2-on-1 rush, but the shot whistled wide.
- Hilmersson fired a shot from the inside of the left circle at 8:25, but the Babson goaltender sealed the post.
- Junior Connor Strobel (Butler, Pa.) kept the Beavers off the board during a late first-period power-play chance with multiple strong saves.
- Babson broke free for a 3-on-2 rush with three minutes remaining in the first, but Strobel turned aside a pair of chances to keep the game scoreless heading into intermission.
- Hilmersson struck 2:16 into the second during a Plymouth State power play. Receiving a pass along the goal line, he made a quick move and flipped the puck over the goalie's shoulder for a 1-0 lead.
- Babson evened the score with 6:28 left in the period.
- The visitors capitalized twice during a major penalty to build a 3-1 advantage entering the third.
- Play moved bank and forth throughout the final period, with the Panthers applying steady offensive pressure, but neither side found the net again as Babson held on.
By the Numbers:
- Hilmersson's goal was his seventh of the season.
- Sophomore Matt Hale (Center Harbor, N.H.) and freshman Tucker Shedd (Holt, Mich.) recorded assists.
- Shedd finished with a game-high four blocked shots.
- Senior Will Redick (Collingwood, Ontario) won 13-of-19 faceoffs (68.4%).
- Babson held a slight 35-32 edge in shots.
- Plymouth State went 1-for-5 on the power play. Babson finished 2-for-5.
- Babson leads the all-time series, 9-2-1. Five of the Panthers' losses in the series have been decided by a single goal.
Up Next:
- No. 3 Plymouth State hosts No. 6 VTSU Castleton in the first round of the LEC Tournament on Wednesday (Feb. 25) at 6 p.m.
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