Icepack Sweeps Kentucky in 3-1 Saturday Win

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.