Box Score RUTLAND, Vt. -- Freshmen Chris Stachiw (Calgary, Alb.) and Corbin Marcotte (Houston, B.C.) each had a goal and an assist as the Castleton State College Spartans held off the visiting University of Southern Maine Huskies, 4-2, in ECAC Men's East action Friday night at Spartan Arena. The game was the season opener for both teams.
Stachiw gave the home side a 1-0 advantage at 10:10 of the opening period as his shot from the left point found the net. Marcotte drew the only assist on the play.
Marcotte doubled the Spartans lead at 8:18 of the middle period converting a set up from Stachiw and sophomore Tyler Gaudry (Stonewall, Man.).
Southern Maine went on the power play shortly after the Marcotte goal and made the Spartans pay. Freshman Todd Bannerman (Georgetown, Ont.) converted a pass from junior Ryan Seward (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) into his first collegiate goal and the Huskies were back within one.
Castleton State got what proved to be the game-winning goal midway through the third period as senior Kyle Richards (Halifax, N.S.) capitalized on a turnover and beat USM freshman goalie Dylan Wells (Nashville, Tenn.) for an unassisted goal.
Rookie Cole Klippenstein (Franklin, Tenn.) pulled the Huskies within one with just under five minutes remaining. Klippenstein one-timed a pass from Seward past Spartan senior goalie Eric Cinotti (Mahwah, N.J.) for his first goal. Bannerman also picked up an assist on the play
With Wells out of the net in favor of the extra attacker in the final minute, senior Colin Murray (Oshawa, Ont.) put the game away scoring an empty-net goal with 31 seconds remaining.
Cinotti finished the game making 24 saves. Wells turned aside 28 shots in his USM debut. Castleton out shot USM 32-26, and both sides had three power plays.
Southern Maine continues its weekend road trip on Saturday (4:00 p.m.) playing at Skidmore College. Castleton State looks to make it two in a row hosting the University of New England on Saturday (4:00 p.m.).
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