Plymouth State Routs Salem State

PLYMOUTH, N.H. –  JR Barone (West Chester, Pa.) and Jeromey Rancourt (Lewiston, Maine) each tallied hat tricks as Plymouth State University exploded for a 12-1 win over Salem State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey game at Hanaway Rink on Saturday night.
 
Barone had a four-goal, two-assist effort for a career-best six-point game. He sparked the offensive outburst with a pair of power play goals just two minutes apart in the opening frame. Rancourt totaled three goals while going 14-0 in the faceoff circle.
 
Junior Brendahn Brawley (Morton, Pa.) was solid between the pipes with 37 saves.
 
Plymouth State rises to 7-1-1 (5-0-1 MASCAC), while the Vikings fall to 2-7-0 and 1-5-0 in the MASCAC.

Barone jumpstarted the Panthers with back-to-back power play goals in the first period, striking at 7:36 and then against at 9:38. Simon Besner (North Lancaster, Ontario) added to the first period scoring with his first of the year for a 3-0 lead after one.

The second period scoring opened just 33 seconds into action with junior Myles Abbate (Norwell, Mass.) lighting the lamp, and Rancourt's first of the evening at the 8:20 mark made it 5-0.

Salem State briefly slowed the momentum as Erik Larsson (Lake Tahoe, Calif.) converted on a power play at 10:11, but Barone completed the hat trick just 12 seconds later for a 6-1 advantage.

Whim Stalberg (Gotenburg, Sweden) batted home his second of the season at 15:58, and Rancourt's second of the game pushed the lead to 8-1 heading into the third period. Ethan Stuckless (Conception Bay South, Newfoundland) scored at 3:09 of the third period and senior Mike McPherson (Somerville, Mass.) added a marker a minute later as the lead ballooned to 10-1.

Rancourt scored midway through the period to complete his first hat trick, and Barone wrapped up his career night with a third power play tally in the final minute.

Joona Sato-Hunsula (Turku, Finland) made 24 saves in one period of action. Aaron Mercer (Corner Brook, Newfoundland) made 26 stops for the Vikings.

(Contributed by Plymouth State Sports Information)