Auburn, MA --- Freshman Cody Brier (Marlboro, MA) netted a pair of goals including the eventual game winning marker to help lift Worcester State past first place Plymouth State, 4-3, in MASCAC men's ice hockey action this evening at Horgan Arena.
With the win Worcester State improves to 6-10-1 (3-7-1 MASCAC) and snapped the Panthers eight game conference win streak as they fall to 12-5 overall and 8-2 in conference play.
Nursing a 2-1 lead in the waning minutes of the first period Plymouth State had a golden chance to grab a two-goal lead heading into the intermission but junior net-minder Taylor Fant (Denver, CO) was able to stop the puck as it was sliding through the crease.
PSU freshman Andrew Wigg (Lantz, Nova Scotia) found senior Alex Cottle (West Chester, PA) all alone in front and he sent it toward the open side of the net but Fant was able to recover and grab the puck before it crossed the goal line.
This proved to be a momentum swing as Brier netted the equalizer with just ten seconds remaining in the stanza when he darted from behind the net and sliped the puck past the goalkeeper for the 2-2 tie.
The Blue and Gold then tilted the score in their favor as senior Tim Bowman (Moorpark, CA) scored his second goal of the season at the 15:02 mark of the middle frame.
To start off the third period, Brier registered his second goal of the contest at the 2:46 mark to help give the hosts the 4-2 advantage.
In an effort to get back into the game, Plymouth State pulled their goalie for the extra attacker at the 2:04 mark of the third period.
The strategy worked as junior Phil Arnone (Litchfield, NH) found the back of the net making it a 4-3 game with just 52 seconds left on the clock.
However, Worcester State's defense stiffened inside the final minute and Fant made multiple key saves as the visitors were unable to tie the score.
Plymouth State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when Wigg was able to put the puck between the pipes at the 4:33 mark of the opening period and just 62 ticks later senior Richie Zobak (Evergreen Park, IL) found the back of the net for the two-goal edge.
WSU freshman Joe White (Wonder Lake, IL) was able to cut the lead in half when he lit up the siren at the 17:22 mark of the first stanza setting the stage for the rest of the contest.
Sophomore Nathan Stanley (Meridian, ID) had a solid game as he registered a pair of assists to take over the team lead with nine helpers on the year for the Lancers.
With his assist on Wigg's goal Cottle now has 17 on the season for the Panthers to lead the MASCAC and it was the 96th point of his stellar career leaving him just four points shy of the 100-point milestone.
Fant was brilliant in net all night as he recorded 34 saves.
Plymouth State sophomore goalkeeper Zac Enstrom (S. Windsor, CT) stopped 12 shots before being relived by senior Jack Astedt (Angelholm, Sweden), who saved all eight shots he faced in the final stanza.
The Panthers outshot the Lancers 37-24, and neither team was able to take advantage of the power play as Plymouth State was 0-for-4 and Worcester State went 0-for-3.
Worcester State takes a week off before heading to Salem State on Saturday for a 2 PM contest and Plymouth State returns home to face-off with UMass Dartmouth on Thursday at 6 PM.
Story by John Hanna --- Sports Information Graduate Assistant