Salem State College Athletics

Salem, MA – The Salem State College Vikings improved to 2-0 on the season by defeating the Panthers of Plymouth State on Thursday evening by a final score of, 5-2
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The Vikings entered the first intermission down by two goals after finding themselves in the penalty box four times. The most severe penalty was called on junior forward Mike Genovese who was ejected from the game after being served with a questionable hit from behind penalty which included a five minute major for misconduct. Plymouth State scored two power-play goals off of the blades of Panther assistant captain Chris Zaremba (Colorado Springs, CO) and captain Chris Chambers (Crofton, MD).

Salem State’s victory charge began late in the second period when sophomore Justin Roy (North Bay, Ontario)took control of a pass through the slot from sophomore Matt Genovese (Hingham, MA) and sent the puck over the shoulder of Panther’s goalkeeper Jack Astedt (Angelholm, Sweden). With 15 seconds remaining in the period Salem State defenseman Brett Noll (Sandwich, MA) took the feed from Roy and evened the score at two.

The third period of hockey for head coach Bill O’Neill’s Vikings was full of energy and intensity. Senior Chris MacInnis (Waltham, MA) led the charge with his aggressive checks. Freshman Nick Lampson (Groton, MA) scored the first lamplighter of his Salem State career and showed off his speed and stick handling skills 4:49 into the third period. This was the Vikings third unanswered goal of the game which would prove to be the game-winner.

The Vikings put two more goals on Rockett Arena’s scoreboard before the final buzzer would sound. The puck found its way to the back of the net from the stick of junior Matthew Johnson (Lynn, MA) who was unassisted on the play. Senior Chris MacInnis (Waltham, MA) capitalized on a feed from senior defenseman Kevin Hughes with the Panther’s goalie pulled late in the third period. Salem State goalie senior James Lacour (Silver Spring, MD) finished the night with 24 saves from 26 shots on goal.

The Salem State Vikings travel next to Fitchburg State College on November 21, to take on the Fitchburg State Falcons. The Vikings will get a chance to rack up their frequent flyer miles when they travel to Duluth, Minnesota, over Thanksgiving break to take on the Saint Scholastica Academy Saints and the Saint Norbert College Green Knights. The Vikings next home game is scheduled to take December 12, against divisional foe Worcester State.