PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - The second-ranked Plattsburgh State men's hockey team dominated visiting Trinity (Conn.) in all phases of their Cardinal Classic championship game on Saturday and the Cardinals easily won the tournament crown, 9-0, at the Stafford Ice Arena. The result marked the largest margin of victory this season for the Cardinals, who improve to 9-1-2. The Bantams (5-3-1) suffer their worst loss since a 10-1 setback at Babson on Jan. 20, 2001. BOXSCORE
Plattsburgh had a decided advantage in shots on goal (70 to 23), converted 5-for-12 power play opportunities, killed off all four Bantam man-advantages and scored a short-handed goal. The Cardinals scored five times in the second period to blow the game wide open.
The all-tournament team included most valuable player D Ryan Corry, F Phil Farrow, F Kyle Kudroch and G Josh Leis for Plattsburgh and F Egor Petrov, D Regnars Alksnis for Trinity.
Tom Breslin and Kyle Taylor each scored their first goals of the season in the first period for a 2-0 lead and the Cardinals never looked back.
Leis made 23 saves for his second career shutout. Dan Sliasis and Chris Wieland paced the offense with a goal and two assists each.
Kirk Bolduc scored just 22 seconds after the start of the game to set the tone for a Castleton State 6-1 victory over Skidmore in the third-place game on Saturday afternoon, snapping the Spartans' six-game winless slide. The Spartans, who won for the first time since Nov. 28, improve to 2-6-2 on the season. The Thoroughbreds fall to 4-6. BOXSCORE
Bolduc added a pair of assists for a three-point game. Stuart Stefan bolstered the Castleton offense with two goals.
Trailing 6-0, Skidmore averted the shutout on Nick Dupuis' fifth goal of the season with a minute left in the game, making good on the Thoroughbreds seventh power play attempt. Hunter Thayer assisted on the play.
Castleton also had a power-play goal off the stick of Justin Alonzo that made it 3-0 with 6 minutes and 57 seconds remaining in the second period. Brett Zeggil scored a short-handed goal in the third to close out the scoring for the Spartans.
Arthur Hollinger leveled his record to 1-1-1 with 20 saves for the Spartans.
