Box Score

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 8 Plattsburgh State men's ice hockey team picked up a 6-5 exhibition win over the Simon Fraser University Red Leafs on Saturday night, in front of a packed crowd in the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. Aaron Catron (Middletown, Del./Philadelphia Little Flyers) scored the game-winner for the Cards with just a minute-and-half left in the game's action.

The Plattsburgh State Cardinals are ranked at No. 8 in the latest USCHO.com Division III Top-15 Poll.

Catron was one of six scorers for the Cards in exhibition action in what was a back-and-forth affair from the get-go. First-year forward William Jasmin (Saint-Clet, Quebec/Jersey Hitmen) tallied the first score for the Cardinals, while Brody Spencer-Ha (Okotoks, Alberta/Drayton Valley Thunder), Jake Lanyi (North Salem, N.Y./Connecticut Jr. Rangers), and Jake Sacratini (Montreal, Quebec/AIC) added second period goals. Kevin Weaver-Vitale (Toronto, Ontario/Markham Royals) extended the Cardinals lead early in the third period, but after Simon Fraser tied the game, Catron played hero with his game-winner with a minute-and-half to go in the game's action.

Jacob Hearne (Ennismore, Ontario/Toronto Jr. Canadiens) was the winner for the Cards in net making 17 saves in just under 60 minutes of play. On the night, the Cardinals won the shot battle 36-22 while also going 2-8 on power play opportunities. Simon Fraser had two power play chances, scoring on their first while going scoreless on their second.

Plattsburgh State is currently 1-1 on the season and next takes on Oswego State in the team's conference opener, heading to Oswego, New York on Friday, Nov. 15. The Red Leafs next play on Nov. 29 for a home matchup against the University of Victoria.

In what was an offensive show, Simon Fraser opened the scoring with a goal in just over eight-and-half minutes into the game's action off the stick of Lucas Ceccarelli on the power play. The Cardinals didn't take long to equalize, as Jasmin scored with a backhanded attempt just outside the crease, receiving the puck from Ryan Bonfield (Kemptvile, Ontario/Brockville Braves) after a Jagger Benson (Lynnfield, Mass./Cranbrook Bucks) face off win.

The Red Leafs would go on to take the lead into the first intermission, as Ceccarelli scored his second goal of the game with 11 seconds left in the first stanza.

Plattsburgh State did not waste much time to tie the game back up, as Spencer-Ha was on the receiving end of Jack Ring's (Hingham, Mass./Northeast Generals) shot from the point, deflecting the puck just over the goalie's left blocker less than four minutes into period two. The goal came on the advantage for Plattsburgh, as Lanyi also had an assist.

Holden Cardinal quickly gave Simon Fraser the lead back less than two minutes later, putting the Red Leafs up 3-2.

Lanyi tied the game back up just before 10 minutes had passed by. After a penalty kill by the Red Leafs, the Cardinals quickly go the back back up the ice from their goalie line, as a long pass over the blue line from Ryan Poorman (Phoenixville, Pa./Norwich) found Joshua Belgrave (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) through several defenders. The quick change up the ice left Lanyi wide open skating down towards the slot, where Belgrave found the senior forward, who got a backhand shot to go under the left blocker of the goaltender.

Plattsburgh rode the momentum to their first lead of the night soon after with just over three minutes left in the second period, as Sacratini connected on a top shelf finish on an odd man rush down the ice. Tyler Ramm (Westborugh, Mass./Northeast Generals) found his linemate skating across the blueline, where Sacratini skated around two Red Leaf defenders before finishing for the Cardinal lead.

A seven-minute penalty allowed for a Cardinal power play goal in the third period, as Weaver-Vitale put Plattsburgh up by two scores with his five on three score at the 3:06 mark of the third stanza.

Simon Fraser did not quit however, as they tallied goals just over two minutes apart, tying the game at 5-5 with 10:21 to go.

The game remained tied until the 18:30 mark, when Catron gave Plattsburgh the lead for good. A loose puck in the neutral zone looked to be moving to Simon Fraser but an errant pass was intercepted by Catron, pushing him through the blueline undefended. He continued to skate with plenty of space between him and a Red Leaf defender, finally ripping a shot from just outside the slot, where he put the puck into the back of the net for a high finish stick side.

The Cards would hold on over the final minute-plus, even as Simon Fraser pulled their goalie, for a 6-5 exhibition win.

Gabe Gratton made 30 saves in net for Simon Fraser in the loss.