Plattsburgh State Fends Off Men's Ice Hockey

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – On the opening day of the Comfort Inn Complex Winter Classic, the host Plattsburgh State Cardinals' men's ice hockey team (7-5-1) fended off the Wentworth Institute of Technology (4-8-2) by a 5-3 score Saturday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• 4:36 into the first period, Plattsburgh State broke the scoreless tie as Jack Ring rippled twine. On a Cardinals' powerplay just 2:20 later, Alex Walicki scored shorthanded on a stretch pass from Desmond Johnson to knot the score at one aside.
• The Cardinals scored twice within a span of 35 seconds later in the first, with Kevin Weaver-Vitale striking at the 10:40 mark before Colin St. Callanan pushed the score to 3-1 at the 11:15 mark. Despite being outshot 13-10 in the opening frame, Wentworth went 17-6 at the faceoff dot.
• Just over one minute into the second period, the Black & Gold cut the deficit in half as Mighton Johnson notched his first career collegiate goal to bring the Leopards within one at 3-2.
• Plattsburgh State re-gained their two-goal lead in the third period as Brannon Butler tallied at the 7:47 mark to push the lead to 4-2. However, the Leopards clawed back, with a goal by Nicholas Ramm cutting into the deficit just 34 seconds later.
• The Leopards couldn't gain much traction in the third, being outshot 9-3 with the Cardinals sealing the game at 5-3 on an empty-netter with two seconds left. In goal, Jack McGovern make 31 saves for the Leopards while Jacob Hearne turned aside 18 for Plattsburgh State.

SERIES NOTES:

• Tonight marked the sixth all-time meeting between the two teams.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards play No. 10-ranked Wilkes tomorrow in the consolation contest.

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