 LYNCHBURG, Va. – NC State opened its road stretch with a 5-1 win over Virginia Tech on Saturday night at Lancerlot Sports Complex.
BOX SCORE | SKATER STATS Daniel Prazma put the Icepack on the board nine seconds into a first-period power play, assisted by alternate captain Joey Gouveia and captain Zach Herman. Less than a minute later, Virginia tied it 1-1, but Prazma answered with his second goal of the night, assisted by Reece Johnson and Herman. Freshman Aidan Raedy added his first career point on a power-play goal late in the first, with assists from alternate captain Nick Librizzi and Herman to give NC State a 3-1 lead at intermission. The Icepack controlled play through the second period. Jake Gifford pushed the lead to 4-1 midway through the second off passes from Herman and Prazma. With seven minutes left in the period, Prazma completed his hat trick – the team’s first of the season – assisted by Gifford and Ben Paterson, who recorded his first Icepack career point. Neither team scored in the third. Prazma and Herman each finished with four points, while Herman moved into second place on NC State’s all-time points scoring list. Goaltender Ethan Roberts stopped 38 of 39 shots, and the Icepack went 3-for-3 on the power play. The Icepack returns home with another win before traveling to Delaware next weekend to continue their road stretch.
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 RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State closed its homestand with a 4-1 win over Maryland on Friday night.
BOX SCORE | SKATER STATS | HIGHLIGHTS Jake Gifford opened the scoring 4:51 into the first period with a power-play goal assisted by Jack Ammons and Erik Dahlin. It was only the second time this season that the Icepack has struck first. Reece Johnson added a goal in the final minutes of the period, firing in off a face-off from alternate captain Joey Gouveia to make it 2-0. During the first period intermission, Johnson said the team’s focus was on sustaining momentum. “We were kind of planning to ride the momentum, but also build up,” he said. “We've got some big games coming up, so obviously coming off a big sweep, we took Kentucky, but just kind of trying to keep that going.” The teams split goals in the second period. Daniel Prazma scored his second goal of the season with assists from Dahlin – his second of the night – and captain Zach Herman. Maryland capitalized on a 4-on-4 play following a pair of matching minors to score their only goal of the night. Gouveia added his first goal of the season early in the third, converting on a power-play with help from Herman and alternate Nick Librizzi. NC State’s special units were efficient, killing all three Maryland power plays and scoring on both of its own opportunities. Head coach Tim Healy praised goaltender Pieter Bartelse, who made his first full-game start against the Terrapins. “He's very mentally level. He's very mature. And so he's able to stay concentrated,” Healy said. “He likes to play the puck a lot. So even in that first period where he wasn't getting a lot of shots, he's coming out to play the puck, so that helps keep you engaged.” Healy also credited the Icepack’s depth. “We have the ability to bring in fresh legs that are good,” he said. “That makes a world of difference. It goes a long way to realistically perform a weekend set with that depth.” NC State begins its road stretch Saturday at Virginia Tech in Lynchburg, Va. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.  RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State will close its home stand against Maryland on Friday before travelling to Lynchburg, Va., on Saturday to face Virginia Tech.
Freshman forward Jack Ammons, who scored his first career Icepack goal in the Kentucky series, said the team is focused on handling each matchup individually. “I think we kind of just take it one game at a time, focus on the Friday game, and maybe if we have to make some changes for Saturday, we will,” Ammons said. “But just one game at a time.” Ammons added that playing on the road helps the Icepack stay locked in. “It’s a business trip and you're able to lock in a little bit and just play hockey and not focus on anything else,” he said. Michael Ranaldi, who also scored his first career Icepack goal against Kentucky, echoed Ammons’ approach. He said the Icepack needs to keep “getting pucks in deep, blocking shots, finishing our hits, and hopefully burying some goals” to secure wins this weekend. Both Maryland and Virginia Tech compete in Division 2, but are strong opponents. Maryland recently defeated a Division 1 team, and Virginia Tech brings a physical presence after finishing a tough series against Liberty. Head coach Tim Healy said NC State must carry momentum into the weekend and continue building on the progress made this season. “Maryland's coming down here, they're a team that's interested in moving to Division 1,” Healy said. “They want to see if they're ready, so they're going to come down for it.” Healy also highlighted the rivalry with Virginia Tech, “People ask you, ‘Hey, why have you kept Tech on the schedule?’ Because it's a great rival,” Healy said. “I love that staff up there, and it's a good game.” Puck drop is at 8:45 p.m. on Friday at Invisalign Arena. Saturday’s game at Lancerlot Sports Complex in Lynchburg is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday’s game will stream on ESPN+.  RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State beats Kentucky with a 3-1 win and a massive late-game swing of momentum to take the series.
BOX SCORE | SKATER STATS | HIGHLIGHTS An 11:15 p.m. puck drop marked the Icepack’s latest start of the season, but the team opened with plenty of energy. The first period featured a few penalties and scrappy play, though neither team scored. Freshman forward Aidan Raedy said the team’s effort from the beginning was expected. “That was one of our goals,” Ready said. “We've been forechecking hard, kind of doing all the things we need to do to be able to win this hockey game here.” Kentucky struck first with a power-play goal, but NC State earned five power-play chances in the second period, including more than a minute of 5-on-3 play. Goaltender Isaac Tawyer kept the deficit manageable with a key save, holding Kentucky to one goal. Momentum swung in the third period, when the Icepack scored three unanswered goals in the final eight minutes. Michael Ranaldi scored his first career Icepack goal – and NC State’s first 5-on-5 goal this season – to tie up the game with assists from Erik Dahlin and Zach Herman. Reece Johnson followed with the game-winning power-play goal, assisted by Herman and alternate Nick Librizzi, giving NC State its first lead. Freshman Jack Ammons added an empty-net goal for insurance, marking his first career Icepack goal. Head coach Tim Healy praised the contributions of the entire team after the game, noting that all of the roster played in the Kentucky series. “The attitude of this team is just great right now – not retaliating and just going to work,” Healy said. “Next man up, really. It's a resilient group that we've seen, but now it's a group that actually shows they can play 60 minutes.” With the win, NC State added two more wins against a Division 1 opponent and showed its ability to fight from behind.  RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State opened its home series against Kentucky with a 4-3 shootout win Friday night at Invisalign Arena.
BOX SCORE | SKATER STATS | HIGHLIGHTS The Icepack fell behind early after the Wildcats scored the game’s first goal in the opening period. Forward Kyler Sun took the first penalty of what turns into a penalty-ridden game at the 8:24 mark, setting the tone for a physical night. “We need to be stronger; we need to win battles,” NC State’s Austin Finch told ESPN+ during the first intermission. “We're always in a lot of 50- 50 battles right now, and this is not the same team that we had last weekend.” Daniel Prazma tied the game 19 seconds into the second period on a power play, but Kentucky controlled the neutral zone and regained the lead before intermission. “Yeah, we definitely could be a lot more tough,” Prazma said during the second intermission. “We know that. We're definitely gonna come out with a punch and just kind of go all out and make something happen.” Kentucky extended its lead to 3-1 with 12:15 left in regulation. A brawl then sent two players from each side to the penalty box, leading to a flurry of penalties and power-play chances. NC State captain Zach Herman cut the deficit with a power play goal at 3:05, and Erik Dahlin tied the game with 15 seconds left in regulation on a 6-on-5 after goaltender Ethan Roberts headed to the bench. The overtime period was scoreless but featured five penalties in the closing seconds, with three Kentucky players and two Icepack players sent off. In the shootout, alternate captain Nick Librizzi scored first for NC State before Kentucky answered. Jake Gifford netted the game-winner in sudden death, sealing the 4-3 victory in front of an energized home crowd. The Icepack returns to action Saturday night for Icepack After Dark. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:45 p.m. in a rematch against Kentucky. |
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