RUTLAND, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's hockey team came out swinging but ran out of steam in the final two periods as the Spartans fell to Babson, 6-2, Saturday afternoon at Spartan Arena.
Andrew Stefura delivered his 15th goal of the year while Jeremy LaPlante nabbed an unassisted score on Senior Day to mark his first of the 2023-24 campaign. Cam Reid, who was moved up from defense to a center slot, and Logan Dapprich were credited with helpers for VTSU Castleton (7-16-0, 4-12-0 NEHC).
Making the fourth appearance of his junior season, Simon Brenter knocked away 35 Babson (12-9-2, 10-5-1 NEHC) shots between the pipes. Senior captains Stone Stelzl and Justin Stairs led the defensive corps with three blocked shots apiece to boost their team-leading season totals to 33 and 26, respectively.
The Beavers converted on their first power play chance in the seventh minute, but Castleton dealt a swift response with a game-tying tally from Stefura. Minutes later, Babson misplayed a puck in its offensive end and LaPlante scooped up possession, bolting toward the visiting net and putting the Spartans ahead with a breakaway goal. Another power play goal for the Beavers late in the first period knotted proceedings at 2-2 through 20 minutes.
After 12 minutes of scoreless play in the second frame, Danny Cavanagh's solo score made it 3-2 favoring the guests. Back-to-back minor penalties following the goal put Babson in a 5-on-3 situation that produced a third power play dart. The Beavers would bag two more goals in the third period, one at even strength and the other with a man advantage, to secure the New England Hockey Conference win.
Following the contest, Castleton recognized its five seniors – Grady Birk, Jeremy LaPlante, Justin Stairs, Hunter Sarro, and Stone Stelzl – to honor their years of dedication to the program. Stairs was also the recipient of the Fan Favorite Award, a distinction voted upon by Spartan Arena attendees throughout the season.
The Spartans turn their attention to the final weekend of the regular season, leading off with a trip to No. 1 Hobart on Friday, February 9. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
