Men’s Hockey Split Weekend Back-to-Backs with Barnburner vs. Castleton, Loss Against Norwich

By Jack Robinson

Published November 9, 2026

The highly anticipated Salute to Service game between Plymouth State University and No. 7 Norwich University, the Panthers’ first Little East Conference matchup this season, took place Friday at 5:00 pm. The Panthers were coming off two wins against Curry College and Plattsburgh State, whom they dominated. Norwich arrived 1-0 off a barnburner against the University of New England, which the Cadets won 7-6 in OT. Many fans thought this could be a big-time statement win for the Panthers.

During the first period, both teams looked extremely sloppy. There were a ton of turnovers and almost no action. The first goal wasn’t scored until 14:05 into the game, when the Panthers turned the puck over in their defensive zone and Norwich’s Easton Swift put the Cadets up 1-0. Just like last weekend, the Panthers responded quickly. Byron Hartley scored a minute later to tie the game on a power play. Then, with less than a minute left in the period, William-Francisco Parent took the lead for the Panthers and scored his first career collegiate goal. 

The Cadets scored early in the second on a power-play goal by Frank D’Ancona. Unfortunately, the Panthers ended up being shorthanded seven more times after D’Ancona capitalized on the first power-play chance. Plymouth incurred three more penalties in the second period and four in the third period. The Cadets went 4-for-8 on power-play opportunities, which resulted in a 7-3 Cadet win over the Panthers. Obviously, everybody cheering for the Panthers is disappointed in the result, but the game served as a lesson that sloppy play and unnecessary penalties will not win any game, especially against a team of the Cadets’ caliber. 

There were some Panther highlights on Friday. Will Pray scored his third goal in as many games, Tucker Shedd recorded two assists, and Patrick O’Connell and David Matousek each logged an assist and have at least one point in all three games this season. Etienne Tremblay-Mathieu also now has an assist in all three games this season. 

Saturday’s game was about the total opposite of Friday night’s. Castleton came into the game 0-1-1, coming off a 1-0 shootout loss to NEC on Friday. The Panthers were hungry for a bounce-back win, while the Spartans were starving for their first. 

The action started early Saturday when the Spartans were served a team penalty for too many men on the ice less than a minute in. Severi Sulonen threw a puck on net for a rebound chance. Kim Hilmersson was trying to fight for it before Matousek tapped it in immediately after the power play expired. Connor Strobel got the night off as goalkeeper, with Mathis Lacroix-Goulet making his first career collegiate start in his place. Lacroix-Goulet collected his first save 3:27 into the game, and continued to play well in Strobel’s footsteps.

Midway through the first period, the Spartans won an offensive faceoff. Cole Bowditch immediately took a slap shot, which was saved, but Austin Haldane knocked in the rebound to make it 1-1. 

The Panthers had four Biederman’s Deli power play chances in the second period. On the first power play chance, Ronan Walsh almost took the lead for the Panthers, but the Spartans collected the rebound and skated down the ice for a 2-on-1 opportunity, which led to David Coyle giving the Spartans a 2-1 lead. That was the Panthers’ second shorthanded goal given up in as many days. 

The Panthers started the third period shorthanded, but you could see the energy shift when Eddie Mulligan landed a massive hit four seconds into the period. You could tell the Panthers were not messing around anymore, and Lacroix-Goulet collected multiple saves during the penalty kill. Will Jasmin tied the game 2-2 on a tight-window pass from Pray in the right corner, who found Jasmin in the opposite corner to tap in the game-tying goal. With just under four minutes remaining, Spartan Emmett McHardy was found all alone approaching the net, but an outstanding glove save from Lacroix-Goulet helped guide the Panthers to overtime. 

The Spartans had the puck most of overtime, and in the opening minute McHardy slipped through the defense with a stretch pass, but he was denied again by another amazing save by Lacroix-Goulet, this time with his blocker. 

Matousek committed a questionable high-sticking penalty that nobody wearing Panther colors felt anywhere close to good about. Luckily, the Panthers killed that penalty with another couple of saves by Lacroix-Goulet. The Panthers were unable to generate any more chances in overtime. In the closing seconds, a late miscue by Tremblay-Mathieu and Matousek led to another 1-on-1 chance for the Spartans, but another blocker save by Lacroix-Goulet ended overtime. 

Pray started the shootout, going five-hole to take the advantage. Lacroix-Goulet had two shootout saves before Tucker Shedd called the game and sent the Spartans home for their second shootout loss in as many days.

Lacroix-Goulet totaled five saves in overtime and went 2-2 on stops in the shootout, which led to his first career collegiate win on an amazing performance. Even though the outcome was not what the Panthers wanted Friday night, Plymouth fans have to feel confident with the way Strobel and Lacroix-Goulet have looked to start the season. 

The Panthers are on the road for the next month as they travel to UMass Dartmouth, UMass Boston, Keene State College, Western Connecticut State University, and Endicott. They then come home to finish off the fall semester with two non-conference showdowns: Trinity College on Dec. 11 and Saint Michael’s College on Dec. 12. 

In other Panther news, Football beat Fitchburg State 31-13, Men’s Basketball blew out Framingham State 91-70, Women’s Ice Hockey beat the University of Southern Maine 3-1 (starting 3-0-0 for the first time in team history), and Women’s Volleyball beat UMass 3-2 in five sets to end the Beacons’ undefeated season in LEC play.