College Hockey Stats Box Score

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The No. 15 Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team was unable to capitalize on five power-play opportunities—including a full two-minute stretch of a 5-on-3 power play in the second period—as the Cardinals fell, 3-0, to Middlebury College in their PrimeLink Great Northern ShootOut opener on Friday afternoon at Norwich University's Kreitzberg Arena.

Plattsburgh State is ranked at No. 15 in the USCHO.com Men's Division III Top-15 Poll.

Although Middlebury also was scoreless with the man advantage, going 0-for-3 on the power play, the Panthers scored a shorthanded goal late in the second period. Middlebury finished with a 27-26 edge in shots on goal.
 
Plattsburgh State slips to 3-2-1 overall with the loss, while Middlebury rises to 2-1-0 overall with the win. The Cardinals will take on the No. 2/2 Adrian College in the consolation game tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. The Panthers will take on host Norwich in the 7 p.m. championship game.
 
The first period was tightly contested with back-and-forth play, as the Cardinals finished with a 12-11 edge in shots on goal for the period.
 
Middlebury broke the scoreless tie 9:42 into the second period. Plattsburgh State tried to clear the zone, but senior defenseman/forward Jimmy McKee picked up the puck on the point. McKee then ripped a shot that was redirected in by junior forward Owen Powers, as the Panthers took the lead.
 
The Panthers took a 2-0 advantage 15:08 into the second, as freshman forward Zach Shapiro scored a shorthanded goal. Senior defenseman Spencer Cage tipped a Cardinal pass that ended up springing forward Shapiro down the left wing. Shapiro led a 2-on-1 rush into the offensive zone and ended up scoring low glove side.
 
Plattsburgh State pulled its goalie with 2:23 left in regulation, and senior forward Pat Egan (Rochester, N.Y./Lone Star Brahmas) put two shots on goal shortly after the Cardinals got the advantage with the extra skater. With 1:33 left, Middlebury was awarded a goal on a bizarre play. Senior forward Kamil Tkaczuk sent a stretch pass ahead to sophomore forward Michael Fahie, and Fahie had only one Plattsburgh State defender to beat with just an empty net in front of him. The Cardinals' defender was assessed a slashing penalty in denying the Panther shot attempt, and with the net empty, the referees awarded Fahie the goal.
 
Sophomore goaltender Jimmy Poreda (Tonawanda, N.Y./Connecticut Jr. Rangers) made 24 saves in the loss for the Cardinals, while junior goaltender Brian Ketchabaw tallied 26 stops in the win for the Panthers.