MANCHESTER, N.H.  – The Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team opened up their 2023-24 season on Friday night and were fantastic in all facets of the game, defeating the Saint Anselm Hawks 6-1. The Cardinals had six different goal scorers, as the offense spread the wealth over the entire game. 
 
First-year forward Aaron Catron (Middletown, Del./Philadelphia Little Flyers) scored the first goal of the season for Plattsburgh just over two minutes into the game action, collecting the first goal of his career in the process. Jagger Benson (Lynnfield, Mass./Cranbrook Bucks) followed soon after with his first career goal just under seven minutes in, as the Cardinals opened up an early 2-0 lead. Bennett Stockdale (Ottawa, Ontario/Alabama Huntsville) led the team with three points on the day, assisting on two goals while also getting his first score of the year. Jacob Hearne (Ennismore, Ontario/Toronto Jr. Canadiens) earned the victory for Plattsburgh making 26 saves while allowing just one goal for a .963 save percentage. 
 
Plattsburgh took advantage of the Hawks' penalties, going 3-5 on the power play, accounting for half of their goals while on the advantage. Simultaneously, the Cards were able to hold Saint Anselm off the board when the Hawks were a man up, successfully defending five penalties during the game's action. Plattsburgh finished with a 39-27 edge in shots over the 60 minutes of play. 
 
The Cardinals move to 1-0 on the season and will now head home as they take on Vermont State University Castleton in their home opener on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. The game also marks costume and poster night, as fans are encouraged to wear costumes to the game and to bring posters for players to sign after the contest. Saint Anselm falls to 0-1 and will next head to Long Island University, where they will play on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m.
 
Catron opened up the scoring at the 2:15 mark of the game's opening period, as the first-year corralled a loose puck last touched by Stockdale in front of the net, and finished short side into the upper right corner for his first collegiate goal. Benson's goal came just over four minutes later at the 6:39 mark, as Riley Sutherland (Burlington, Ontario/St. Michael's Buzzers) skated across the neutral zone in the Cardinal's offensive end, making a beautiful pass behind him to a Benson skating towards the goal. The junior forward was able to control Sutherland's pass and finish under a defender and the Hawks' goalie, tallying his first career goal. 
 
The final goal of the first period came with just over a minute to go off the stick of Ryan Bonfield (Kemptville, Ontario/Brockville Braves) who scored at the edge of the crease off a nice pass from Paul Bryer (Clarkston, Mich/Islanders Hockey Club), who was able to thread the needle between two Hawks defenders to find Bonfield. Ryan Hogg (Duncan, British Columbia/Islanders Hockey Club) also picked up an assist on the play, as the Cardinals scored the goal on the power play just four seconds elapsed into the advantage.
 
The offensive onslaught continued into the second period when Jake Lanyi (North Salem, N.Y./Connecticut Jr. Rangers) picked up his first score of the season off assists from Stockdale and Lonan Bulger (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories/Hobart College). Working once again on the power play just over two minutes into the period, Bulger attempted a shot from the edge of the Cardinal offensive zone, which was deflected by Stockdale downward onto the ice, where Lanyi picked it up just in front of the crease and finished the play for the score. Less than a minute later Joshua Belgrave (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) picked up a goal, shoveling in a saved Ryan Poorman (Phoenixville, Pa./Norwich University) shot for his first score of the season. 
 
The final goal from Plattsburgh came at the 12:41 mark of the second period, as Stockdale was able to score in another power play opportunity for the Cards. Lanyi and Jack Ring (Hingham, Mass./Northeast Generals) picked up the assists, as Stockdale deflected a puck from Lanyi over the top of the Hawks goalie into the net for the score. 
 
Saint Anselm picked up their first goal of the season at the 5:41 mark of the third period, as Liam Lyons scored off assists from Alec Grace and Alex Hoitt. First-year goalie Cam Carroll took the loss for the Hawks, making 33 saves in just under 60 minutes of action.