Chandler Makes 50 Saves as Owls Tie #6-Ranked Plymouth, 2-2

WESTFIELD, Mass. –Westfield State goaltender Kevin Chandler made 50 saves in a heroic effort as the Owls skated to a 2-2 tie with national #6 Plymouth State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Amelia Park Arena on Thursday night.

Plymouth State entered the game ranked sixth in the nation in the USCHO.com poll.  That's the highest-ranked opponent an Owls team has played since Westfield returned to the ice in the 2008-09 season.  The Owls fell to #8 ranked Williams, 3-1 on November 23, 2010. 

Westfield is now 2-1-1 overall and 0-1-1 in the MASCAC.  Plymouth State is now 3-1-1 and 1-0-1 in the MASCAC.

The Panthers were first to get on the scoreboard, at 18:13 of the second period, Connor Tait fired a shot wide of the net, but Will Redick circled behind the goal to poke it back in front on the right side, and Tait's second chance was lifted over the glove of Westfield goalie Kevin Chandler for the goal.

Plymouth out-shot the Owls 33-12 through the first two periods, but Westfield limited most of the shots from the perimeter and gave Chandler a good look at the shots as he stopped 32 of the first 33 he faced.

Westfield tied the game 1-1 1:36 into the third period when Nicolas Coppola picked up a loose puck near center ice and skated in on Plymouth netminder Brandon Shantz and beat him to the glove side.

The Owls added their second goal at the 3:03 mark, when Ryan O'Halloran chased the puck into the deep left corner and centered it to Brett Williams for the go-ahead goal.

Plymouth tied the game at 2-2 when Redick wristed one home from the right face off circle after the Panthers worked the puck around on a 4 v 4 situation with 11:15 left in the third period.

From there, Chandler made the score stand up, adding 14 saves in the third period and four more in the overtime.

Both teams had good scoring chances in the last minute of regulation. Westfield's Emile Pichette broke in on a counter attack but had the puck poke checked away in front of the goal. On the ensuing counter by the Panthers, Chandler stymied Plymouth's Rider McCallum, blocking away a slapshot blast from the top of the left circle.

Shantz finished with 21 saves in his first start of the season for Plymouth.

The Panthers will next travel to MCLA on Saturday for a 7:00 p.m. face off.   Westfield will be back on the ice next Thursday in a 7:35 p.m. start against Framingham at Amelia Park Arena.