Plymouth States Edges Out Men’s Hockey, 3-1

HOLDERNESS, N.H. – The MCLA Men's Hockey team took to the road this evening for a MASCAC test against the conference leading Plymouth State Panthers. The game started out physical with both teams picking up a penalty call before the first minute had run off the clock. The Trailblazers held pace, but as the game moved along the Panthers showed why they were the class of the conference, taking a 3-1 win.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025
• Score: MCLA 1, Plymouth 3
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 2-13-0 (MASCAC 2-6-0) | Plymouth State University Panthers 12-4-0 (MASCAC 9-0-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite the difference in their records, there was no way anyone would have said that the Trailblazers were intimidated by the previously ranked Plymouth team and in the first period, despite being outshot 17-9, it was MCLA who had took the higher percentage of shots that actually would have presented a scoring opportunity with shots on goal going to the visitors 7-6 in the scoreless opening frame.
• The second period kicked off with the Panthers showing their displeasure with how the Trailblazers had failed to roll over before them and their angered showed on the scoreboard. Plymouth scored the first goal of the game just after two minutes had expired, and the goal was credited to David Matousek (at 2:15, assisted by Will Redick and Donte DiPonio). Three and a half minutes later the Panthers doubled their lead on a Brendan Doyle (5:45, Dante Moretti and Severi Sulonen) goal.
• In total, the hosts had a 44-8 advantage on shots in the second period, and an equally impressive 22-4 lead in shots on net. It was just the Herculean effort of MCLA's sophomore goalie Mathew Gover (Atkinson, NH) who finished the period with 20 saves, before adding 17 more in the third period.
• Plymouth started the period off by adding an insurance goal in the opening two minutes when Colin Tracy (1:48, DiPonio and Ethan Stuckless) finished the scoring for the host team.
• Sophomore forward Cade Herrera (Brentwood, CA / Seahawks H.C) finally broke through for the Trailblazers, scoring 10 seconds into a power play. Sophomore Easton Moore (Red Deer, AB / Florida Eels) won the face-off and the puck found its way to Herrera who slipped it back to sophomore defenseman Shane Green (Bear, DE / Philadelphia Little Flyers), who cycled it sophomore forward Quinn Murphy (Champaign, IL / Philadelphia H.C.), who returned it to Herrera in the left slot for a one timer that beat the goalie to his stick side while sophomore forward Charlie Addesa (Andover, MA / Worcester Railers) provided a screen in front of the net. The goal was Herrera's fourth while the assists were the fifth and third, respectively, for Green and Murphy.
• Herrera's goal was the only one allowed by the Panther's Jameson Bourque who stopped 16 of the 17 shots to pick up his first win and moved to 1-0-0. MCLA's Gover finished with 43 saves while dropping his record to 2-13-0.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Shots (Shots on Goal): MCLA 30 (17), Plymouth 97 (46)
• Saves: MCLA 43, Plymouth 16
• Faceoffs Won: MCLA 30, Plymouth 40
• Penalty/Minutes: MCLA 6/12:00, Plymouth 5/10:00
• Power Plays: MCLA 1 for 4, Plymouth 0 for 5

UP NEXT:

On Thursday, MCLA will be back in action when they travel to Framingham State for a MASCAC matchup with the Rams at the Loring Arena. The puck will drop at 7:30 p.m.

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