The Middlebury men's ice hockey team battled back to tie Friday's contest with 3:40 left in the third period, but Plattsburgh State scored 1:23 into overtime for a 2-1 decision.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Cardinals looked to get on the scoreboard 2:14 into the defensive-minded opening period, but a shot from the left slot by Kevin Weaver-Vitale was saved by Middlebury goalie Andrew Heinze.
• The visitors produced their best opportunity 23 seconds later when Dimitri Tzaferis ripped a knuckling left-handed bid from inside the blueline that Cardinal netminder Jacob Hearne caught with his glove.
• Plattsburgh State nearly gained the lead with 6:55 expired. Riley Sutherland attempted a wraparound chance that was saved by the left pad of Heinze.
• After both sides killed off penalties in the second frame, a one-timer by Sutherland between the circles with 7:24 remaining was thwarted by the glove of Heinze to keep the contest scoreless.
• The Cardinals manufactured a trio of bids four minutes later with the best chance coming on a turnaround attempt from Brannon Butler that Heinze saved with the knob of his stick.
• Middlebury looked to quickly counter. Matt Myers sent a rising puck from the point at the 13:06 mark that deflected off Hearne's mask and the goalie corralled the loose puck.
• The Panthers earned a power-play chance with 1:57 left. Bobby May sent a wrister 22 seconds into the player-up opportunity that was deflected over the crossbar by Lonan Bulger to keep the game tied.
• Plattsburgh State found the back of the net on the power play 1:18 into the third frame when Tyler Ramm tipped in a shot from outside the crease for the 1-0 advantage.
• The Cardinals nearly increased their lead two minutes later when Vladislav Pshenichnikov blasted an attempt through traffic that Heinze got a piece of with his body and deflected it wide of the post.
• Looking for the equalizer, Reece Brednich skated onto a loose puck with 7:52 left and one-timed a chance from the left circle that Hearne saved.
• The Panthers continued to buzz the zone over the next few minutes. Tzaferis collected the puck along the boards and fired from a sharp angle, going bar down with 3:40 showing on the clock to knot the game at 1-1.
• Skating 3-on-3 in the overtime frame, Jin Lee found space for Middlebury on the rush 40 seconds in but his shot went just wide.
• Plattsburgh State scored with 1:23 expired when a backhanded shot by Aaron Catron trickled over the line for the 2-1 final tally.

NOTES

• Tzaferis' goal was the first of his career.
• Heinze finished with 33 saves, marking the fourth time this winter the goalie has eclipsed the 30-save plateau.
• The programs played for the 58th meeting in the all-time series.

The Panthers return to action next Friday when they jump back into NESCAC play with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop at Bowdoin.