PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No.7 Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team used a three-goal third period to pull away from the visiting Vermont State University Castleton Spartans, winning their home opener 6-3. The Cardinals once again spread the wealth offensively, as six different players notched scores and nine players added at least one point. 
 
Plattsburgh State is ranked at No. 7 in the USCHO.com Men's Division III Top-15 Poll. 
 
Joshua Belgrave (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) led the way with three points for the Cards, also scoring the game-winning goal in the first six minutes of the third period. Tio D'Addario (Montreal, Quebec/Navan Grads) and Lonan Bulger (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories) each scored their first collegiate goals, also adding assists to their stat line in the win. Eli Shiller (Toronto, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) made his first start of the season in net and got the win, making 17 saves and also picking up an assist. 
 
The Cardinals owned a 47-20 advantage on shots, while they also excelled on the power play and penalty kill once again, going 3-5 on the advantage and holding Castleton to 1-9 on their power play opportunities. 
 
With the victory, the Cards move to 2-0 and open State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play in their next game, visiting SUNY Morrisville on Wednesday, Nov. 1 for a 7 p.m. mid-week matchup. Castleton falls to 0-2 and next visits Johnson & Wales on Friday, Nov. 3.
 
The Cardinals scored the game's opening goal just 2:46 elapsed into game action, as Paul Bryer (Clarkston, Mich./Islanders Hockey Club) deflected a Brannon Butler (Toronto, Ontario/Boston Advantage) shot into the back of the net for his first goal of the season. Belgrave also picked up an assist on the play, making the initial pass to Butler. 
 
Less than three minutes later at the 7:27 mark in the first period, Adam Tretowicz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) added his first score of the year, making it 2-0 Plattsburgh quickly into the game action. Bryer took a shot at the keeper that was saved and deflected to Belgrave, who somehow was able to get the puck to Tretowicz despite being off balance, as the graduate student forward connected on slapshot for the goal.
 
Despite the early disadvantage and clear dominance early on, the Spartans quickly got themselves back into the game, scoring at the 8:09 and 11:02 marks to tie the game, thanks to goals from Jackson Edwards and Josef Vyvial. The 2-2 score held through the end of the first period, sending the teams into the first intermission all tied up. 
 
With over 10 minutes elapsed in the second period, the Cards retook the lead, as Bulger nailed a deep shot for his first career goal. Off the faceoff, D'Addario quickly passed the loose puck to Bennett Stockdale (Ottawa, Ontario/Alabama Huntsville) who reversed to the opposite faceoff circle where Bulger buried the deep attempt. However, just over two minutes later, Castleton tied the game up at three-all as Andrew Stefura secured the score. 

In the third period, the Cardinal offense did not let up and the defense stepped up, as they outscored the Spartans 3-0 in the final period of play. Plattsburgh took huge advantage of the power play, scoring all three of the goals in the period on the extra-man opportunity. 
 
Belgrave scored the game-winner just before six minutes had gone by, as Tretowicz won the face-off to Belgrave who immediately took the shot and rattled the puck home to give the Cards the lead for good. 
 
Ryan Bonfield (Kemptville, Ontario/Brockville Braves) added a big insurance goal at the 8:20 mark, once again on the power play, burying a shot in the upper corner of the net, glove side unassisted. The Cards got one more to go at the 15:45 juncture of the game, as Plattsburgh was once again on the power play. Shiller passed the back behind the net to Bulger, who passed to D'Addario just crossing into the neutral zone. D'Addario skated through several defenders going right through the Spartan defense where he connected on his first career goal with a shot that went under the Castleton goalie's legs, solidifying the Cardinal win.