PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — The Middlebury College men’s hockey team rallied in the third period on Friday to defeat host Plattsburgh, 6-3, and knock off the rival Cardinals for the second time this winter.
The Panthers improved to 6-6-2, including a 3-4-1 NESCAC record. They will host league foes Colby at 7 p.m. on Friday and Bowdoin at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The Cardinals took a 2-0 lead 11:17 into this past Friday’s game on two goals by Greg Malafronte. With 4:04 to go in the period Tyler Capello tipped in Alex Lee’s shot from the point to put the Panthers on the board.
Plattsburgh made it 3-1 with the only goal of the second period. Antoine Desnoyers knocked home a centering pass from Malafronte.
The Panthers took the lead with three goals in the first 6:39 of the third period. Capello fired in a snap shot from the left circle, 1:49 later Matt Danner scored from the top of the left circle, and at 6:39 Kamil Tkaczuk chipped a shot over the Plattsburgh goalie from the left side for his fifth goal of the season. That score ended Cardinal goalie Brandon Wells’ night with 21 stops; Fenton Lawson made three in 12:50.
Middlebury killed off a minor penalty and allowed just one shot on goal over the final five minutes. The Panthers added empty-net goals from Owen Powers and Spencer Cage. Goalie Brian Ketchabaw backstopped the win with 43 saves.