RUTLAND, Vt. -- Sophomore forward Nick Lazorko (Rockwall, Texas) scored three times to help the Castleton State College Spartans defeat the University of Southern Maine Huskies, 5-1, in an ECAC Men's East game Saturday afternoon at Spartan Arena.

            The win gives the Spartans a sweep of their opening weekend games against the University of New England and USM.  The Huskies earned an opening weekend split, defeating Skidmore College 5-4 on Friday.

            Lazorko tied the game late in the first period with his first goal of the game, and second of the season.  The second-year forward added two more goals in the second period as the Spartans netted five unanswered goals to erase an early Huskies lead.

            Southern Maine grabbed a 1-0 lead when senior Dan Rautenberg (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) potted a power-play goal at 1:55 of the opening period.  Junior David Nies (Brookline, Mass.) and sophomore Angelo Vrachnas (St. James, N.Y.) picked up the assists.

            The Huskies advantage lasted until Lazorko scored a power-play goal to equalize at 17:56, and junior Dan Bell (Victoria, B.C.) gave the Spartans the lead for good before the end of the period converting an assist from classmate Chris Weiland (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) in the final minute.

            Lazorko extended the Spartan lead to 3-1 just 1:19 into the middle period.  Weiland, set up by Bell and sophomore Colin Murray (Oshawa, Ontario), made it 4-1 at 5:58.  Lazorko finished off his hat trick beating USM sophomore goalie Braely Torris (Eckville, Ontario) for a short-handed goal at 10:30.  Neither team would light the lamp over the final 29:30.

            Sophomore Erick Cinotti (Mahwah, N.J.) stopped 29 shots in the Castleton cage to earn his first win of the season.  Torris made 31 saves for the Huskies.

            Southern Maine plays its home opener on Friday (7:00 p.m.) hosting Saint Michael's College.  Castleton State travels to New England College on Friday (7:00 p.m.).

-ble-