Posted: Dec 02, 2017
PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Freshman JR Barone (West Chester, Pa.) scored a pair of goals and added an assist as Plymouth State University coasted past Westfield State University, 7-1, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey game at Hanaway Rink on Saturday night during the second annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
Sophomore Alec LeFave (Hudson, N.H.) put the Panthers' ahead 1-0 with a breakaway goal at 14:23 of the first period. From behind the PSU goal, sophomore Drake Longaker (San Jose, Calif.) chipped the puck ahead to junior Ludvig Steenberg (Stockholm, Sweden), whose pass perfectly split a pair of Westfield defenders at the blue line and LeFave planted the puck in the left corner. Immediately after the goal over 800 teddy bears rained down onto the ice. The bears will be donated to the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) to help families in need during the holiday season.
The Owls got a late goal to head into the first intermission with the score deadlocked at one. Sophomore F.X. Girard (St. Lazare, Que.) fired a shot that junior goalie Evan Morelli (Reading, Mass.) turned aside, but senior Nik Passero (Fort Erie, Ont.) was there to stuff home the rebound with just 16 seconds remaining in the opening period.
The second period saw big hits from both teams. Following a stretch of physical play from both sides, freshman Jake Gerbner (Havertown, Pa.) found Barone low in the slot and the rookie put home his own rebound for his first score of the night.
The Panthers upped the lead to 3-1 with a power play score by junior Matt Volonnino (Hackettstown, N.J.) following a pair of crisp passes from junior Ryan Stevens (Colleyville, Texas) and sophomore Victor Bergstrom (Angelholm, Sweden) at the 13:42 mark. PSU outshot the Owls 15-4 in the second frame.
Barone notched his second of the night early in the third period. Following a turnover deep in the WSU zone, junior Tim Perron (Northborough, Mass.) had his shot go wide off the back boards right to Barone on the far side, who swiftly planted the puck into the open net. Bergstrom added a power play marker just over two minutes later and Volonnino and Gerbner each added goals to close out the win.
Morelli finished with 22 saves to run his record to 6-1-0 on the year. WSU sophomore goalkeeper Kameron Limburg (Howell, Mich.) made 36 saves in the losing effort to drop to 2-5-0.
With the victory the Panthers improve to 7-2-1 overall and 5-1-0 in MASCAC play, while moving into a tie atop the MASCAC following Worcester State's first loss of the year. Westfield drops to 3-6-0 (1-5-0 MASCAC).
PSU is back on the ice next Saturday (Dec. 9) when the Panthers play host to NCAA Division II St. Anselm College on Salute the Troops night. The Owls will face D-II Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. on Thursday (Dec. 7) in their final contest before the holiday break. Puck-drop is set for 6:35 p.m.
Sophomore Alec LeFave (Hudson, N.H.) put the Panthers' ahead 1-0 with a breakaway goal at 14:23 of the first period. From behind the PSU goal, sophomore Drake Longaker (San Jose, Calif.) chipped the puck ahead to junior Ludvig Steenberg (Stockholm, Sweden), whose pass perfectly split a pair of Westfield defenders at the blue line and LeFave planted the puck in the left corner. Immediately after the goal over 800 teddy bears rained down onto the ice. The bears will be donated to the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) to help families in need during the holiday season.
The Owls got a late goal to head into the first intermission with the score deadlocked at one. Sophomore F.X. Girard (St. Lazare, Que.) fired a shot that junior goalie Evan Morelli (Reading, Mass.) turned aside, but senior Nik Passero (Fort Erie, Ont.) was there to stuff home the rebound with just 16 seconds remaining in the opening period.
The second period saw big hits from both teams. Following a stretch of physical play from both sides, freshman Jake Gerbner (Havertown, Pa.) found Barone low in the slot and the rookie put home his own rebound for his first score of the night.
The Panthers upped the lead to 3-1 with a power play score by junior Matt Volonnino (Hackettstown, N.J.) following a pair of crisp passes from junior Ryan Stevens (Colleyville, Texas) and sophomore Victor Bergstrom (Angelholm, Sweden) at the 13:42 mark. PSU outshot the Owls 15-4 in the second frame.
Barone notched his second of the night early in the third period. Following a turnover deep in the WSU zone, junior Tim Perron (Northborough, Mass.) had his shot go wide off the back boards right to Barone on the far side, who swiftly planted the puck into the open net. Bergstrom added a power play marker just over two minutes later and Volonnino and Gerbner each added goals to close out the win.
Morelli finished with 22 saves to run his record to 6-1-0 on the year. WSU sophomore goalkeeper Kameron Limburg (Howell, Mich.) made 36 saves in the losing effort to drop to 2-5-0.
With the victory the Panthers improve to 7-2-1 overall and 5-1-0 in MASCAC play, while moving into a tie atop the MASCAC following Worcester State's first loss of the year. Westfield drops to 3-6-0 (1-5-0 MASCAC).
PSU is back on the ice next Saturday (Dec. 9) when the Panthers play host to NCAA Division II St. Anselm College on Salute the Troops night. The Owls will face D-II Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. on Thursday (Dec. 7) in their final contest before the holiday break. Puck-drop is set for 6:35 p.m.