RUTLAND, Vt. – Senior Troy Taylor scored on a wrap-around with 20.5 seconds remaining in the third period to lift the Castleton University men's hockey team to a 4-3 comeback victory over Plymouth State University in non-conference play at Spartan Arena on Saturday. 

The Spartans were trailing 3-1 until 8:37 of the third period when Matt Bloomer made it a one-goal game and Nick Gravina tied it 50 seconds later.

Taylor's first goal of the year came just 17 seconds after the Spartans killed off their first and only penalty of the game. The puck broke free along the wall in the Castleton end and Anton Tarvainen, fresh out of the penalty box, collected it and carried into the Panther end before dropping it to Taylor. Taylor circled the right side of the goal before finding the net inside the left post. 

Plymouth State (5-6-1) led by two on a pair of occasions in the contest. The Panthers scored the first two goals of the game, both by Myles Abbate, and after a Calvin Moïse goal in the late stages of the middle period, Plymouth State had a 3-1 lead at 7:01 of the third on a Peter Laviolette tap-in.

Bloomer accepted a stretch pass from Kyle Kazeroid and ripped a shot through the defender for the defenseman's first point of the season. Then, Castleton tied it and forced Plymouth State to use its timeout when Gravina wiggled through three Panther defenders and powered a short-side wrister over the goalie's blocker and under the bar.

Castleton (4-8-2) closed out the final 20.5 seconds without allowing a shot attempt to win it and avoid going to overtime for the third consecutive game.

Brandon Collett finished with 40 saves for the Spartans to earn his second victory of the year. Jake Sabourin dropped to 0-2-0 despite his 23-save effort for Plymouth State.

Jake Gerbner had two assists for the Panthers, while Tarvainen and Conner Ladabouche each assisted twice for the Spartans. 

Castleton closes out its season with 11 consecutive conference games, beginning with a road trip Jan. 10-11 at Johnson & Wales and Suffolk.