Box Score
 
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The top-ranked Plattsburgh State women’s hockey team (6-0-1) broke open a 3-3 game with five third-period goals on its way to an 8-3 win over eighth-ranked Amherst (1-2-0) in the opening game of the Panther/Cardinal Classic hosted by Middlebury College.
 
The first half of the first period was a wild one, with six highlight reel goals scored in a 3:18 span. The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead when Breanne Bennett fished the puck out of the corner and found Kenzie Menzak in front for the goal. Plattsburgh made it a 2-0 game just 31 seconds later when Jenny Kistner drove to the net and scored with a great backhander for her fifth of the year.
 
Amherst got on the board at the 6:21 mark following a timeout when Eileen Harris tipped in a shot from the right point from Haley Opperman. Tori Salmon won the ensuing face-off back to Geneva Lloyd, who skated just inside the blue line before scoring with a blast from the left point to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Plattsburgh State regained the lead just 42 seconds later with a great give-and-go between Allison Era and Kistner, with Era finishing the play at 7:10. Amherst scored in similar fashion 51 seconds later, with Salmon finding Emily Flom from her knees in the slot to tie the game at 3-3.
 
The Cardinals had a great chance to regain the lead at the 14:32 mark, but Morgan MacInnis was denied by a great save from Kerri Stuart. The period ended with Plattsburgh holding a 10-3 advantage in shots, with all three Amherst shots finding the back of the net.
 
After a scoreless second period, Emma Rutherford put Plattsburgh back on top 9:05 into the third period. Era made a cross-ice pass from the right wing to Rutherford, who redirected the pass into the back of the net. Just 43 seconds later on a delayed penalty, the Cardinals made it a 5-3 game when Bennett found Kistner with a nice centering pass.
 
The Plattsburgh offense continued to pour it on in the final period, taking a 6-3 lead on the 100^th career point for Teal Gove. The senior co-captain out of Berwick, Ontario scored off the post with an assist from Era, becoming the eighth player in program history to reach the 100-point mark.
 
Gove added her second of the game at 15:13 before Chelsea VanGlahn added a power-play goal in the final pass, tipping in a pass from Andrea Ziesmann.
 
Sydney Aveson made 10 saves in goal for Plattsburgh, while Stuart finished with 23 stops for Amherst. Plattsburgh outshot Amherst, 31-13, on the afternoon.
 
Both teams return to action at Kenyon Arena Sunday for the second day of the Panther/Cardinal Classic. Amherst battles Elmira at 1 p.m. before the tournament wraps up with a matchup between Plattsburgh and Middlebury at 4 p.m.