PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 5 Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team captured their 23^rd Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic win in program history and their first since 2019, as they defeated Albertus Magnus 5-3 at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. Colin Callanan (Stony Point, N.Y./New York Apple Core) was named the Tournament MVP as he scored three goals over two tournament games, including two in the championship win.

Plattsburgh State is ranked No. 5 in the USCHO.com Division III Top-15 poll.

Junior forward Luk Jirousek (Whitehorse, Yukon/Alberni Valley Bulldogs), sophomore defenseman Brannon Butler (Toronto, Ontario/Boston Advantage), and goaltender Eli Shiller (Toronto, Ontario/Wellington Dukes) each represented Plattsburgh on the All-Tournament team, while Albertus Magnus forward Sam Anderson and defenseman Ryan Herpy, as well as Nazareth forward Blake Frost rounded out the All-Tournament squad.

Jirousek was excellent for Plattsburgh in the championship win, as he tallied a goal and two assists, while Butler added two assists. Shiller earned his second win of the weekend, stopping 16 shots for the Cardinals. Thomas Maia (Mississauga, Ontario/Nanaimo Clippers) and Adam Tretowicz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres) each scored for Plattsburgh in the win.

The Cardinals outshot the Falcons 35-19 on the day but were 0-3 on the power play, while Albertus Magnus was 1-4.
Plattsburgh improves to 12-2 and next hosts Middlebury on Friday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. for a non-conference contest. Albertus Magnus falls to 10-6 and next hosts Morrisville on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Once again Plattsburgh State was the first to get on the scoreboard, breaking the scoreless tie in the 13^th minute of play. After a couple of saves from on Butler's shot attempts, Callanan was able to clean up the mess in the crease, knocking in the puck on the doorstep for his second goal of the weekend and first of the night.

A powerplay goal at the 15:33 mark from Albertus Magnus knotted the score at a goal apiece, but less than a minute later, Callanan knocked in a Jirousek pass in the crease to give Plattsburgh the lead back.

With a 2-1 lead heading into the second period, the Cardinals wasted no time adding some insurance to their lead, as Jirousek tallied a score less than a minute and a half into the second stanza. Bennett Stockdale (Ottawa, Ontario/Alabama Huntsville) began the opportunity with a shot that was saved away, but the rebound found Jirousek in the slot with a wide-open glove side of the net, as the junior forward finished with the one-timer to put the Cards up 2-1.

Plattsburgh State added onto the lead first from a goal from Tretowicz in the second period and then a third-period goal from Maia. Paul Bryer (Clarkston, Mich./Islanders Hockey Club), Joshua Belgrave (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars), Jack Ring (Hingham, Mass./Northeast Generals), and Trey Thomas (Williams Lake, British Columbia) each tallied assists on the goals, with Ring totaling two assists on the day.

Despite trailing 5-1, the Falcons did not lead up, as Anderson scored his second goal of the day just under nine minutes to go, and JJ Berdal scored with less than a minute to go to pull Albertus Magnus within two goals. The Cardinals were able to hold out over the final moments, as they picked up their 23^rd tournament title in Cardinal Winter Classic history that dates back to the 1982-83 season.