Hockey Falls to Salem State in MASCAC Championship

Kendal Lariviere

For The Clock

klariviere@plymouth.edu

The Plymouth State Men’s Ice Hockey team was upset by Salem State University in the MASCAC Championship game on Saturday night in Hanaway Rink. It was the fourth consecutive time the two teams faced off for the MASCAC title, and the second year in a row the Vikings claimed victory over the Panthers at Hanaway.

PSU was the first team on the board, as senior Ian McGilvrey (Omaha, Nebraska) received a pass from sophomore Michael Covach (Shillington, PA) and directed it into the net from the right circle six minutes into the first period. It was his seventh goal of the season. McGilvrey’s was the only goal of the period.

The Panthers again struck first in the second period. Covach notched his fourth goal of the season and brought Plymouth’s lead to 2-0 with an unassisted goal at 7:39. Salem State responded with a goal of their own at 9:20, cutting the lead in half. Over the next nine minutes, the Viking offense roared to life, scoring three additional goals and claiming the lead 4-2 by the end of the second period.

In the first five minutes of the third period, senior Michael Economos (Crystal Lake, Illinois) made a move to close the gap on the scoreboard, netting his 14th goal of the season and 50th of his career at 4:12. He was assisted by sophomore Ryan Stevens (Colleyville, Texas) and junior Chris Zuccaro (Hudson, NH). Economos had an opportunity to even the score just over halfway through the period on a penalty shot, but was turned down by the Viking goalie. The Panthers pulled sophomore goalie Evan Morelli (Reading, MA), who had 21 saves on the night, in the final minute in an attempt to tie the game, but could not get it done. They fell to Salem State with a final score of 4-3.

The Panthers finish their season with an overall record of 19-6-2. Salem State moves on to the NCCAA Division III Tournament with a record of 15-9-3.