PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 5 Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team came out strong to open the new year, taking down Rivier 4-1 in the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic opening round game, winning behind the first career goals from both Simon Singher (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec/Navan Grads) and Brannon Butler (Toronto, Ontario/Boston Advantage). The Cards will now advance to the championship game of the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic to take on Albertus Magnus, who defeated Nazareth 4-2 in the first game of the annual classic.

The Plattsburgh State Cardinals are currently ranked No. 5 in the USHCO.com Division III Top-15 poll.

Singher scored the game-winner for Plattsburgh for his first career goal and point, while Brannon Butler added some insurance with his first career score. Colin Callanan (Stony Point, N.Y./New York Apple Core) scored just 18 seconds into the game action, and Ryan Butler (Kelowna, British Columbia/Adrian) added an empty netter for his first goal of the season to round out the Cards' scorers on the day. In goal, Eli Shiller (Toronto, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) made 18 saves to earn the win while Ryan Butler and five others added assists.

Rivier was 1-4 on the power play, while Plattsburgh was 0-1 and outshot the Raiders 39-19 over the 60 minutes of action.

The Cardinals improve to 11-2 on the season and next play Albertus Magnus in the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic Championship game tomorrow, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. Rivier falls to 6-6-2 with the loss and will take on Nazareth in the consolation game tomorrow, Jan. 6 at 3:30 p.m. at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.

Plattsburgh wasted no time setting the tone and getting ahead early, as Callanan scored 18 seconds into the game. A pass just outside from the crease from Spencer Bellina (Medina, Ohio/Chippewa Steel) to Luk Jirousek (Whitehorse, Yukon/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) was lost momentarily as the goaltender attempted to redirect a soft shot on net but put the puck right on the stick of Callanan who scored on the wide-open blocker side for his second goal of the season.

After the Cardinals continued to put several shots on goal, a power play opportunity gave life to the Rivier offense as Cormac Hayes skated through all four of Plattsburgh's defenders from his defensive zone on his way to the goal to tie the game.

The Cards had a response, however, less than four minutes later as Singher tallied his first career score with a shot through the five-hole after skating around his defender, registering the eventual game-winner. Ryan Butler and Trey Thomas (Williams Lake, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits) each picked up assists on the score, as Plattsburgh held the 2-1 lead through the end of the first and second periods.

Plattsburgh State picked up a big insurance goal after nearly 35 minutes of a one-goal lead, at the 8;04 mark in the third period with Brannon Butler's first collegiate score. The score came by knocking in a loose puck on the doorstep off a Tio D'Addario (Montreal, Quebec/Navan Grads) missed shot from a Bennett Stockdale (Ottawa, Ontario/Alabama Huntsville) pass.

The Cardinals continued to hold the lead, as they killed off two penalties up two scores, with Shiller making six saves in the Raider's extra-man opportunities in the third period. Shortly after killing off the final penalty of the game, Ryan Butler scored his first goal of the season on an empty netter, as he controlled a loose puck from a scrum off the boards to seal the win for Plattsburgh State, with just under three minutes to go in regulation.

Luke Newell made 35 saves for Rivier as he took the loss in goal.