PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Junior forward Liam Lawson (Vancouver, British Columbia/Powell River Paper Kings) scored with 45 seconds remaining in regulation to lift Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey to a 3-2 victory over Wesleyan University in a non-conference game on Tuesday night at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.

Lawson's game-winning goal, which came at 19:15 of the first period was the only goal of the third period and broke a 2-2 tie. Senior forward and alternate captain Joe Drabin (Rochester, N.Y./Wenatchee Wild) one-timed a shot from the right side of the slot that was saved by the Wesleyan goaltender. However, Lawson got to the rebound right in front of the net and chipped a shot over the netminder for the goal. Senior forward Ryan Kuhn (Wheatfield, N.Y./Niagara University) garnered the secondary assist on Lawson's fifth goal of the season. 

With the win, Plattsburgh State improved to 5-8-1 on the season and Wesleyan fell to 7-5-0. Plattsburgh State next plays a non-conference game at Middlebury College on Friday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. Wesleyan hosts non-conference foe Colby College on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.

In the first period of play, Plattsburgh State struck first as freshman forward Brendan Young (Lefroy, Ontario/Blind River Beavers) scored his third goal of the season at the 1:16 mark. Freshman forward Adam Tretowicz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) skated the puck into the right side of the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 rush with Young. Tretowicz passed the puck to Young in the low slot and Young quickly released a wrist shot into the upper-right corner of the net to put Plattsburgh State in front, 1-0. Lawson tallied the secondary assist on the goal.

The scored remained 1-0 for much of the first period, but Danny Sorabella scored for Wesleyan to tie the game at 1-1 at the 17:06 mark. After a face-off win for Wesleyan in the offensive zone, a shot by John Fiallo hit a Wesleyan player in front of the net. Sorabella was the first player to control the bouncing puck and he promptly scored on a backhand shot.

In the second period, Wesleyan went in front, 2-1, on a goal by Colin Cobb, assisted by Sorabella, at the 2:38 mark. Sorabella won an offensive-zone face-off back behind him. Cobb grabbed the loose puck, skated to the right of the face-off dot, and fired a low shot that went in through the five-hole. 

Plattsburgh State trailed, 2-1, until the 15:24 mark of the second period when freshman forward Joe Kile (Troy, Mich./Johnstown Tomahawks) scored his third goal of 2019-20 to tie the game at 2-2. In the Plattsburgh State offensive zone, sophomore forward Cullen Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./Lake Forest College) played the puck from the right sideboards to sophomore forward Christian DiFelice (Thorold, Ontario/Buffalo Jr. Sabres). DiFelice skated the puck to the right face-off dot before sending a pass to the slot where Kile one-timed a shot into the lower-left portion of the net. Picking up the secondary assist on the play, Kane recorded his first point for Plattsburgh State.

The score would remain tied at 2-2 until Lawson's last-minute heroics in the third period provided Plattsburgh State with the 3-2 victory.

Junior goaltender Jimmy Poreda (5-6-1) recorded 23 saves for Plattsburgh State, including 12 in the third period. Tim Sestak (7-4-0) made 33 stops for Wesleyan.

Plattsburgh State went 1-of-4 on the power play, while holding Wesleyan to 0-of-4.

Shots on goal were 36-25 in favor of Plattsburgh State.