PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 15 Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team scored three unanswered goals across the second and third periods to top the Wentworth Institute of Technology, 5-2, on the opening day of the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic Friday evening at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
 
Plattsburgh State is ranked at No. 15 in the DCU/USCHO.com Men's Division III Top-15 Poll.
 
Senior forward Brendan Young (Lefroy, Ontario/Blind River Beavers) finished with two goals, while sophomore forward Luk Jirousek (Whitehorse, Yukon/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) provided a goal and an assist. The Cardinals owned a 34-22 edge in shots on goal, while both teams were scoreless on the power play, with Plattsburgh State going 0-for-3 and Wentworth going 0-for-2.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 9-3-2 overall with the win and will face rival and eighth-ranked Oswego State in the championship game tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. Wentworth falls to 2-9-1 overall with the loss and takes on SUNY Potsdam in tomorrow's consolation game at 3:30 p.m.
 
The Cardinals netted the first goal of the game at 2:13 of the first period. Senior forward Adam Tretowicz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) intercepted a pass in the defensive zone and sprung first-year forward Ryan Bonfield (Kemptville, Ontario/Brockville Braves) ahead with a pass forward into the neutral zone. Bonfield skated into the right circle and scored low stick side for his second collegiate goal.
 
Wentworth countered with 7:38 elapsed in the first. First-year defenseman Hunter Wilson dug the puck out along the back wall to first-year forward Ian Worthley, and Worthley passed to sophomore forward Luke Jeffries in the high slot. Jeffries then took advantage of a screen out in front to score blocker side.
 
Jirousek gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead that they took into the first intermission, as he scored with just 1:05 remaining in the opening stanza. Junior forward Paul Bryer (Clarkston, Mich./Islanders Hockey Club) took a shot from the left circle on the rush that junior forward Carson Gallagher (Courtice, Ontario/Sacred Heart University) deflected, but the Leopard netminder turned the shot aside. Jirousek wound up one-timing the rebound into the back of the net, scoring on the backhand.
 
Wentworth's first-year forward Nolan Lowe leveled the score at 11:18 of the second. Sophomore forward Jacob Shankar led the rush down the right wing and passed across to junior defenseman Matt Smoliga in the offensive zone. Smoliga took a shot that was saved, while Lowe was on the doorstep to bang in the rebound.
 
Junior forward Bennett Stockdale's (Ottawa, Ontario/University of Alabama in Huntsville) goal with 22.7 seconds remaining in the second period wound up being the difference. Sophomore defenseman Jack Ring (Hingham, Mass./Northeast Generals) passed D-to-D to senior defenseman Jacob Modry (Albany, N.Y./Merrimack College), and Modry sliced a pass down to Stockdale on the weak side from the right point. Stockdale scored on a one-time shot along the left post.
 
Young added insurance with 12:08 gone in the third. Jirousek sent a stretch pass to Young, and Young wrapped a pass along the boards to first-year defenseman Spencer Bellina (Medina, Ohio/Chippewa Steel) along the back wall. Bellina fed the puck right back to Young in the slot, and Young fired a shot past the goaltender glove side.
 
Young scored an empty-net goal with 3:14 left to put the game on ice. Junior forward Ryan Butler (Kelowna, British Columbia/Adrian College) earned an assist on the score.
 
Sophomore goaltender Jacob Hearne (Ennismore, Ontario/Toronto Jr. Canadiens) made 20 saves in the victory for the Cardinals, while junior goaltender Will Oliver turned aside 29 shots in the loss for the Leopards.

Oswego and Potsdam tied, 3-3, in overtime in the opening game of the tournament, with the Lakers winning a shootout, 1-0, to determine which team would advance to the championship.