CORTLAND, N.Y. – The nationally ninth-ranked Plattsburgh men’s hockey team scored four consecutive goals spanning the first through third periods and earned a 5-2 win versus Cortland Saturday night in the regular-season final for both teams at Alumni Arena. The Red Dragons finished the season at 9-13-3 overall and 3-11-2 in the SUNYAC, while the Cardinals improved to 18-5-2 and 13-2-1 and clinched the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
Junior Michael Mascaro (Merrick/NY Apple Core) and freshman Darren McCormick (West Seneca/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) scored Cortland’s goals. Junior Kyle Herring (Valencia, CA/Rochester Stars) recorded two assists, and freshman Andrew McCann (Bowmanville, ON/Wellington Dukes) collected one assist. Freshman goalie Kollyn Jones (Cazenovia/New York PAL Islanders) made a career-high 61 saves, just four short of the school record set by freshman Drew Weigman (Annapolis, MD/Northern Cyclones) at Plattsburgh earlier this season.
Senior Alex Brenton (Kanata, ON/Kemptville 73’s) tallied a pair of goals for Plattsburgh, while senior Connor Toomey (Billerica, MA/Des Moines Buccaneers), junior Connor Gorman (Shrewsbury, MA/New Hampshire Monarchs) and freshman Ayrton Valente (Woodbridge, ON/Mississauga Chargers) each netted a goal. Senior Michael Cassidy (West Seneca/Buffalo Jr. Sabres) registered three assists, freshman Chris Taff (Omaha, NE/Odessa Jackalopes) had two assists and five others each recorded one assist. Sophomore goalie Brady Rouleau (Fort Macleod, AB/Victoria Grizzlies) stopped 23 shots.
Cortland’s four seniors — Kevin Antonik (Central Islip/New Jersey Hitman), Michael Markowitz (Staten Island/NY Bobcats), Jeff Vanzant (Barrie, ON/Peterborough Liftlock Stars and Nick Zappia (Manlius/Kingston Voyageurs) — were honored prior to the game. Zappia, who entered the game as Div. III’s leading point and goal scorer, had a 26-game point-scoring streak dating back to last season snapped and finished his career sixth in scoring at Cortland with 109 points on 58 goals and 51 assists.
