Boxscore
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – There was more to the story than the final score as the Plattsburgh State men’s hockey team struggled early in a 6-3 win over Skidmore in non-conference action Saturday night at the Stafford Ice Arena.
The Skidmore line of Vlad Gavrik, Brad Schuler and Tyler Doremus caused Plattsburgh (10-2-3, 6-1-1 SUNYAC) problems throughout most of the evening. Skidmore drew first blood as Gavrik scored his third of the year from Doremus at the 14:55 mark of the opening stanza. Three minutes later, Schuler found the back of the net to make it 2-0 Skidmore. Gavrik picked up an assist on the goal.
With 1:46 left in the first, Vick Schlueter put the Cardinals on the board. Jake Mooney was credited with an assist on the goal which cut the Skidmore (4-9-1, 3-5-0 ECAC East) lead to 2-1.
Skidmore took back-to-back penalties midway through the second to give the Cardinals a 5-on-3 advantage. The Plattsburgh power play, which has struggled of late, seized the opportunity as Nick Jensen’s shot from the point beat Thoroughbreds goaltender Colin Bessey to tie the game 2-2 with 10:20 left in the period.
Schuler sent the Thoroughbreds to the locker room with momentum in their favor, scoring his second of the night with 1:43 left in the second. Gavrik and Zach Menard assisted as Skidmore took a 3-2 lead.
But it would be all Plattsburgh in the final 20 minutes as the offense came alive for four goals. Kyle Kudroch tied it up off a nice feed from Patrick Jobb at the 4:24 mark. At 11:55, Kudroch struck again, banging in Jobb’s rebounds for the go-ahead goal.
Ryan Craig’s power play goal at 14:07 made it 5-3 Plattsburgh. Just 42 seconds later, Michael Cassidy scored one more for good measure. Brandon Beadow was credited with an assist on Cassidy’s first collegiate goal.
The Cardinals, who went 2-for-4 on the power play, did not take a penalty all night. Plattsburgh finished with 35 shots on goal while Skidmore took 26.
Josh Leis got the start between the Plattsburgh pipes. Leis allowed two goals on 10 shots in the first period. Mathieu Cadieux took over for the final two periods, allowing one goal and recording 15 saves to improve to 7-2-2. Colin Bessey turned away 29 shots in the loss for Skidmore. Bessey left the game late in the third with an apparent injury. Brad Cray stepped in for the final 3:33 but did not face a shot.
Plattsburgh hits the road next weekend for its final two non-conference games of the regular season. The Cardinals will stop in Middlebury Friday before travelling to Williams the following night. Both games are set for 7 p.m.
