MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey defeated Marian University (WI) 5-3 on Saturday afternoon in the LayerEight Shootout, as junior Riley Sutherland (Burlington, Ontario/St. Michael's Buzzers) had a career day with two goals and one assist to lead the Cardinal offense. For his play over the weekend, Sutherland was named to the LayerEight Shootout All-Tournament team.

Sutherland, who came into the day with two career goals, doubled that mark as he also registered the game-winning score shorthanded. Aaron Catron (Middletown, Del./Philadelphia Little Flyers), Patrick Cole (Lancaster, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres), and Jack Ring (Hingham, Mass./Northeast Generals) each had goals as well for the Cards, with Cole scoring his first career goal. Brody Spencer-Ha (Okotoks, Alberta/Drayton Valley Thunder) had three assists for the Cards in the win, while Jacob Hearne (Ennismore, Ontario/Toronto Jr. Candeins) posted a season-high 35 saves in net to earn the win.  

The Sabres outshot the Cardinals 38-35 on the afternoon, while also going 1-4 on the power play. Marian did however allow a shorthanded goal but were able to kill off Plattsburgh's lone power play of the game.

Plattsburgh State moves to 4-4 with the win and next takes on Fredonia in road, conference action on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Marian falls to 4-4 with the loss and next takes on seventh ranked Adrian on the road on Dec. 6 in conference play.

After a loss the day before a scoreless outing for the Cardinals, both teams looked to flip the scripts in the first period, with a flurry of shots coming from both sides. Plattsburgh State wasted no time getting on the board, as a Spencer-Ha shot was initially saved but Sutherland found the rebound and score with a one-timer off the right pipe to put the Cards up just 46 second into the game. Lonan Bulger (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories/Hobart) added his first assist of the season on the play. Marian followed shortly after with a power play goal at the 4:53 mark, knotting the game at a goal apiece.

Catron gave the Plattsburgh the lead back at the 8:43 mark, as he scored an unassisted goal with a pickup in the defensive zone, skating all thew ay to the left faceoff circle for a long shot and score. Cole added to the lead with is first collegiate goal just over a minute later, as he rebounded a Blake Hall (Fort Erie, Ontario/Fort Erie Meteors) saved shot into the net just inside the right pipe. Hall picked up his first collegiate assist on the goal, while Jagger Benson (Lynnfield, Mass./Cranbrook Bucks) tallied his first assist of the season on the score.

Marian was able to cut into the 3-1 lead with a goal at the 17:16 mark from Jaymes Knee, as the 3-2 score would hold into intermission, with the Sabres taking a 17-16 shot advantage into the lockeroom.

Early in the second stanza, Marian tied the game as Robert Pizzey notched a score just under two-and-a-half minutes into the action.

At the end of the second period, the Cardinals went on the penalty kill, as they looked to hold onto the lead. Spencer-Ha, however, generated a chance for Plattsburgh, stealing the puck at cneter ice and finding Sutherland in the Cardinal's offensive zone and on a breakaway opportunity, as he faked the goalie to the right and scored through the five-hole to give Plattsburgh the 4-3 lead.

Ring gave Plattsburgh a huge goal for some breathing room just over a minute into the third period, as he rebounded Sutherland's bid for a hat trick into the back of the net for his second goal of the season.  Hearne and the Cardinal defense stood tall in the final period, holding Marian scoreless and keeping the lead as the senior netminder made 11 saves, giving Plattsburgh the win.

Nicholas Van Kaufmann played just under 10 minutes, allowing three goals and making seven saves for the loss while Tyler Fromolz played over 46 minutes in net, allowing two goals and making 27 saves.

Middlebury claimed the LayerEight Shootout title, with a 2-0 win over Norwich, their fifth Shootout tile and first since 2008.