By: Mark Vasey, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men’s ice hockey team is set to begin the 2021-22 season with a non-conference game against Plymouth State University at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29, at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
Plattsburgh State, which is led by third-year head coach Steve Moffat, played to a 10-14-3 (6-8-2 State University of New York Athletic Conference [SUNYAC]) record in 2019-20. The Cardinals had a late-season surge in 2019-20 as they won their final three regular-season games to make the SUNYAC Tournament. The Cardinals then pulled off a thrilling 3-2 double-overtime victory at SUNY Brockport in the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament, before falling at Oswego State, 4-1, in the tournament semifinals.
After having the 2020-21 season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cardinals look forward to returning to the ice.
“The team is very excited to get back and play meaningful games,” Moffat said. “We practiced a lot last year, and we have practiced a long time this year, and we finally get to play a game that counts in the standings and counts on the national scene. It is exciting for the players to be back out on the ice — especially in front of our home fans.”
Plattsburgh State, which has 18 student-athletes who have yet to play a regular-season game in a Cardinal uniform along with 14 returners from the 2019-20 team, looks to continually improve on the ice.
“We want to get better every day at practice,” Moffat said. “We want to get better all the time and hope to have our performance peak at the end of the season. We have a lot of new guys who are learning what it takes to be a successful college player — so right now we just want to make sure we are getting better each day we hit the ice.”
Forwards:
This year’s group of returning forwards features junior Adam Tretowicz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Buffalo Jr. Sabres), who was the team’s Mike Daoust ’01 Rookie of the Year in 2019-20. Tretowicz tallied nine goals and nine assists for 18 points in 2019-20. Junior Hunter Alden (Walla Walla, Wash./Northeast Generals) also returns after being named the Cardinals’ Most Improved Player in 2019-20. Junior Mitchell Hale (Oakfield, N.Y./Johnstown Tomahawks), an American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Krampade All-American Scholar), also returns.
Other returners include graduate student Mike Falanga (East Haven, Conn./Islanders Hockey Club), graduate student Richie McCartney (Hershey, Pa./Philadelphia Revolution), senior Christian DiFelice (Thorold, Ontario/Buffalo Jr. Sabres), junior Joe Kile (Troy, Mich./Johnstown Tomahawks), junior Brendan Young (Lefroy, Ontario/Blind River Beavers) and junior Andrew Bechard (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Vermont Lumberjacks).
The forwards taking the ice for the first time as a Cardinal this season are junior Marcus Mitchell (Kelowna, British Columbia/University of Alaska Anchorage), sophomore Thomas Maia (Mississaugua, Ontario/Nanaimo Clippers), sophomore Spencer Silver (North Wales, Pa./Hearst Lumberjacks), sophomore Joey Mancuso (Pottstown, Pa./Connecticut Jr. Rangers), sophomore Trey Thomas (Williams Lake, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits), sophomore Bennett Stockdale (Ottawa, Ontario/Alabama Huntsville), sophomore Pavel Kharin (Ann Arbor, Mich./Johnstown Tomahawks), sophomore Paul Bryer (Clarkston, Mich./Islanders Hockey Club), sophomore Carson Gallagher (Courtice, Ontario/Sacred Heart University), first-year student Luk Jirousek (Whitehorse, Yukon/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) and first-year student Jake Lanyi (North Salem, N.Y./Connecticut Jr. Rangers).
Defensemen:
Leading the defense is the senior team captain Matt Araujo (Brookhaven, N.Y./Boston Jr. Rangers). Araujo earned Third-Team All-SUNYAC honors after tallying five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 2019-20. Junior Ryan Hogg (Duncan, British Columbia/Islanders Hockey Club) is also a key returner. Hogg tallied five goals and one assist for six points in 2019-20. Also returning on defense are junior Jake Sutton (Pompano Beach, Fla./Northern Cyclones) and junior Christian Dahl (St. Peters, Mo./Topeka Pilots).
New to the Cardinal defense are junior Jacob Modry (Albany, N.Y./Merrimack College), sophomore Kevin Weaver-Vitale (Toronto, Ontario/Markham Royals), sophomore Cory Doney (Northfield Falls, Vt./Vermont Lumberjacks), first-year student Jagger Benson (Lynnfield, Mass./Cranbrook Bucks) and first-year student Jack Ring (Hingham Mass./Northeast Generals).
Goaltenders:
Returning at goaltender is senior Brandon Wells (Spirit River, Alberta/Melville Millionaires).
New to the Cardinals’ crease this season are sophomore Anthony Del Tufo (Livingston, N.J./Philadelphia Revolution) and first-year student Jacob Hearne (Ennismore, Ontario/Toronto Jr. Canadiens).
(Plattsburgh Men’s Hockey Photo(
