PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Playing for a spot in the upcoming State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament, Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey achieved a season high in goals on its way to an 8-2 SUNYAC win over Morrisville State on Friday night at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
Plattsburgh State's (8-13-3, 5-8-2 SUNYAC) eight goals were its most in a game since a 12-4 home win over Morrisville State (9-15-0, 5-10-0 SUNYAC) on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017. With the win, Plattsburgh State moved into a tie with SUNY Potsdam for fifth place in the SUNYAC standings with 12 points. Plattsburgh State wraps up the SUNYAC regular season against Morrisville State with Senior Night tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
After Morrisville State scored the first goal of the game, Plattsburgh State answered with two goals to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Nineteen seconds into the game, James Boisvert scored his fourth goal of the season, assisted by Jesse Anderson and Christian Vella to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead. Boisvert took a wrist shot from the left point that found its way past Plattsburgh State's Junior goaltender Jimmy Poreda (Tonawanda, N.Y./Connecticut Jr. Rangers) (8-9-3).
A little over two minutes later, sophomore defenseman Matt Araujo (Brookhaven, N.Y./Boston Jr. Rangers) answered for Plattsburgh State with his fourth goal of the season to make the score 1-1. Araujo one-timed a slap shot from the left point for the goal at 2:28 of the first period. Junior forwards Mike Falanga (East Haven, Conn./Islanders Hockey Club) and Rich McCartney (Hershey, Pa./ Philadelphia Revolution) assisted on the play.
Plattsburgh State took a lead that it would not relinquish at 6:54 of the first period when freshman forward Hunter Alden (Walla Walla, Wash./Northeast Generals) scored his first collegiate goal with a high wrist shot from near the bottom of the right circle. Araujo and graduate student defenseman and captain Philip Middleton (Vail, Colo./Salmon Arm Silverbacks) garnered the assists on the goal that made the score 2-1.
In the second period, Plattsburgh State outscored Morrisville State, 4-1, to lengthen its lead to 6-2 entering the second intermission.
At 2:25 of the second period, Mike Falanga finished off a a 2-on-0 opportunity for his second goal of the season, with McCartney assisting, to make the score 3-1.
Just under six minutes later, the Mustangs would score their final goal of the game on the power play at 8:17 of the second period. On the power play, Austin Johnson scored his second goal of the season on a wrist shot from the high slot that found its way past a screened Poreda. Ben Sprague and Aidan Conolly tallied the assists on the goal that made the score 3-2 in favor of Plattsburgh State.
The Cardinals would score the final three goals of the second period and the last five goals of the game to complete the 8-2 victory.
Less than a minute after Morrisville State had cut Plattsburgh State's lead to 3-2, freshman forward Adam Tretowicz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./ Buffalo Jr. Sabres) — the reigning PrestoSports SUNYAC Men's Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week — scored his first of two goals on the night to push the Plattsburgh State lead to 4-2. Tretowicz scored on a high wrist shot from the bottom of the right circle, assisted by senior forward and alternate captain Joe Drabin (Rochester, N.Y./Wenatchee Wild) and freshman defenseman Christian Dahl (St. Peters, Mo./Topeka Pilots), at 9:14 of the second period.
Drabin then got on the scoreboard himself with his eighth goal of the season — assisted by Dahl — to push Plattsburgh State's lead to 5-2 at 13:17 of the second period. Drabin's goal came on a wrist shot through the goaltender's five-hole.
Tretowicz finished off the scoring in the second period as he knocked in a loose puck from in front of the net for a power-play goal to make the score 6-2. Tretowicz's ninth goal of the season was assisted by freshman forward Mitchell Hale (Oakfield, N.Y./ Johnstown Tomahawks) and freshman forward Christian Thomas (Bloomingdale, N.Y./Topeka Pilots) at the 16:44 mark.
In the third period, Plattsburgh State scored its final two goals of the night.
Alden scored his second goal of the game and his career, assisted by junior forward Liam Lawson (Vancouver, British Columbia/ Powell River Paper Kings) and Dahl, on a quick and low shot from close range at 1:08 of the third period.
Scoring the final goal of the game, freshman forward Brendan Young (Lefroy, Ontario/Blind River Beavers) finished off a rush with his sixth goal of the season at 8:05 of the third period. Sophomore forward Christian DiFelice (Thorold, Ontario/ Buffalo Jr. Sabres) tallied the lone assist on the play.
Poreda made 27 saves in the victory for Plattsburgh State. Jared Young (8-11-0) started in goal for Morrisville State, making 24 saves and allowing five goals in 33:10 played. Owen Liskiewicz made 20 saves over 26:43 played in relief of Jared Young.
Plattsburgh State outshot Morrisville State, 52-29, on the night.
Each team finished 1-of-4 on the power play.
