Boxscore
 
AMHERST, Mass. – Momentum shifted in the second period and the Plattsburgh State men’s hockey team was unable to rally, falling 3-1 at Amherst in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The loss marks the second straight year the Cardinals have been eliminated in the quarterfinal round.
 
Plattsburgh (19-5-4) struck early as Alex Jensen put the Cardinals on the board with just three minutes gone in the first period. Mark Constantine and Patrick Jobb were credited with assists on Jensen’s sixth of the year.
 
While the Cardinals controlled play throughout the first period, the second period told the story of the rest of the game. Amherst (24-3-1) doubled Plattsburgh in shots, 16-8, and left the Cardinal defense scrambling at times.
 
Eddie Effinger tied it up at the 6:28 mark, scored his first of the night with a shot that went over Plattsburgh goaltender Mathieu Cadieux’s left shoulder. Aaron Deutsch gave the Lord Jeffs the lead at the 14:29 mark with the shot from the circle that beat Cadieux.
 
Plattsburgh’s Matt MacLeod was whistled for a penalty with five minutes remaining in the middle period and Amherst capitalized on the opportunity when Effinger netted his second of the night. Mike Moher and Deutsch assisted to give the Lord Jeffs a two-goal lead at the end of two periods.
 
Both goalies gave their team a solid effort but Amherst’s Jonathan La Rose came out on top with 27 saves to help the Lord Jeffs to the win. Cadieux finished with 26 stops in the loss including 13 in the second period alone when he made possibly his biggest save of the night on a clear Amherst breakaway.
 
With the win, Amherst advances to the NCAA semifinal game to face Oswego Friday at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y.
 
Saturday’s loss marks the final game for Plattsburgh seniors Kyle Kudroch, Vick Schlueter, Kyle Taylor, Matt MacLeod and Ryan Craig. Kudroch finishes the year as the Cardinals’ leading scorer with 23 points and ends his Plattsburgh career with 45 goals and 36 assists.