PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Five different Cardinals scored a goal as Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey defeated the Wentworth Institute of Technology, 5-2, in the opening round of the W.B. Mason Winter Classic on Friday night at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
With the win, Plattsburgh State (4-6-1) moves on to face Elmira College (6-3-1) in the championship game of the W.B. Mason Winter Classic at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. Elmira advanced to the championship game with a 6-5 overtime victory over Endicott College (7-5-0) on Friday. Wentworth (4-7-1) will face Endicott in the consolation game at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
Plattsburgh State was the aggressor for much of the first period and the Cardinals offensive pressure paid off with a flurry of three goals late in the first period. Junior forward Rich McCartney (Hershey, Pa./Philadelphia Revolution) scored the first goal of the game at 17:19 of the first period on a wrist shot from the high slot. Sophomore forward Christian DiFelice (Thorold, Ontario/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and junior forward Mike Falanga (East Haven, Conn./Islanders Hockey Club) assisted on McCartney's third goal of the season.
Less than two minutes later, junior forward Liam Lawson (Vancouver, British Columbia/Powell River Paper Kings) made the score 2-0 with his fourth goal of the season on the power play at 18:59 of the first period. Freshman defenseman Christian Dahl (St. Peters, Mo./Topeka Pilots) one-timed a shot from inside the right circle that went wide and behind the net. However, the puck took a fortuitous bounce off the end boards to Lawson at the bottom of the left circle and Lawson quickly released a wrist shot for the goal. Dahl and senior forward Ryan Kuhn (Wheatfield, N.Y./Niagara University) tallied the assists.
Freshman forward Joe Kile (Troy, Mich./Johnstown Tomahawks) scored a power-play goal 28 seconds later to increase the Cardinal lead to 3-0 heading into the first intermission. In front of the Wentworth net, Kile redirected in a slap shot that was taken from the point by sophomore defenseman Matt Araujo (Brookhaven, N.Y./Boston Jr. Rangers). Playing in his first collegiate game, sophomore defenseman Austin Anselmo (Trail, British Columbia) tallied the secondary assist for his first collegiate assist and point.
In the second period of play, freshman forward Samir Abouelhana (Lake Saint Louis, Mo./Philadelphia Revolution) took a pass from senior forward Andrew Pizzo (Thorold, Ontario/Niagara University) and went in on a breakaway before finishing from close range for his first collegiate goal to make the score 4-0 at the 6:05 mark. Freshman forward Mitchell Hale (Oakfield, N.Y./Johnstown Tomahawks) tallied the secondary assist for his first collegiate point.
Wentworth got on the scoreboard with a power-play goal by Jake Hallisey at 10:01 of the second period that made the score 4-1 in favor of the Cardinals. He took a wrist shot from outside the top of the left circle that deflected off of a defenseman's skate and into Plattsburgh State's goal. Connor Busch and Adam Tracey assisted on the play.
Dahl scored his second goal of the season on the power play to push the Cardinal lead to 5-1 at 16:41 of the second period. On the power play, Dahl unleashed a one-timer from just inside the top of the left circle for the goal. Lawson and Kuhn garnered the assists.
In the third period, Nate Chase scored a short-handed goal for Wentworth on a breakaway to make the score 5-2 at the 5:03 mark. Adam Tracey tallied the lone assist.
The Cardinals would not allow the Leopards to get any closer as they held on for the 5-2 victory.
junior netminder Jimmy Poreda (Tonawanda, N.Y./Connecticut Jr. Rangers) (4-5-1) made 29 saves for Plattsburgh State and Thomas Draper (3-6-0) stopped 33 shots for Wentworth.
Plattsburgh State went 3-of-5 on the power play. Wentworth was 1-of-7 with the man advantage and also scored a short-handed goal.
Shots on goal were 38-31 in favor of Plattsburgh State.
