Butler Toronadoes

CASTLE SHANNON - Special Report provided by Plum Hockey The Mustangs snapped a 2-2 tie with a three-goal outburst in a span of 1:03 early in the third period to defeat the Baldwin Highlanders by a score of 5-2. Plum’s only two Seniors, Matt Giunta (2G, 2A) and Jonathan Smith (1G, 3A) each had four-point nights; and Sophomore goalie John Bronder turned in a solid 32-save performance for the Mustangs. After an evenly played first period that saw Plum outshoot Baldwin by the narrow margin of 8-7, Baldwin scored early in the second period. Sam Smith fired a shot from a sharp angle, and the puck caromed off of Bronder’s stick into the net to give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead. Plum answered that goal three minutes later. At 9:54 with Plum on a power play, Giunta muscled the puck to Jonathan Smith who found Junior Andy Weston open in the slot. Weston roofed the puck over Highlander goalie Ryan Smith’s blocker to knot the score at one. Just 38 seconds later, the Mustangs got their first lead of the game when Jonathan Smith took a Giunta pass in the slot and fired almost the identical shot that Weston scored on, beating the Baldwin goalie over the blocker, top-shelf style. With only 1:35 to go in the second, Baldwin caught Plum in a bad line change. The Highlanders found Mike Swindell all alone at the Plum blue line and sent him in on a breakaway. Swindell made a slick move to the backhand and slid the puck past Bronder to even the game at two. The Mustangs came out smoking early in the third, and it paid off early when Giunta score Plum's second power play goal on a rebound of a slapshot from Freshman Jon Gratton at 12:14 of the period. Weston picked up an assist on the goal. Fifty-seven seconds later, Giunta pounced on another rebound and rifled it into the cage to give the Mustangs a two-goal lead. Jonathan Smith and Junior Matt Eller each assisted on Giunta’s second goal. The Highlanders then called timeout to regroup, but it was Plum who took advantage of the time out. On the ensuing face-off, Plum dumped the puck into the Baldwin zone. The Baldwin netminder misplayed the puck, and Sophomore Anthony Sciulli made him pay by shoveling the biscuit into the Baldwin net just six seconds after the timeout, making the score 5-2. Junior Shawn O’Connor and Jonathan Smith assisted on the Mustangs’ fifth goal. The Highlanders continued to pressure Plum in an effort to get back into the game, but Bronder turned away all 14 Baldwin shots in the third to secure the win for Plum. The Highlanders outshot the Mustangs 34-26 on the evening.