Plattsburgh State Athletics News: 2026-27 Plattsburgh State Men’s Hockey Season Preview…Provided by Plattsburgh Sports Information Department
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Following a 2025-26 campaign that saw the Cardinals reach the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) quarterfinals, the Plattsburgh State men’s ice hockey team enters the 2026-27 season with a renewed focus on returning to the top of the conference. The Cardinals aim to capture their 25th SUNYAC title in program history and extend their streak to 35 consecutive SUNYAC Tournament appearances. Plattsburgh State will open the 2026-27 season with an exhibition game against MCLA at home on Oct. 16.
2025-26 CARDINAL SNAPSHOT:
Record: 13-13-0 (9-9-0 SUNYAC)
Head coach Steve Moffat returns at the helm for his eighth season with the Cardinals. In his seven seasons leading the program, Moffat has never missed the conference tournament and will look to lead the Cardinals on another deep postseason run this year.
The Cardinals concluded the 2025-26 campaign with a 13-13-0 overall record and a 9-9-0 mark in conference play. Plattsburgh State earned the No. 6 seed in the SUNYAC Tournament and traveled to Skidmore for the quarterfinals, ultimately falling, 4-3, in a closely contested postseason matchup.
Plattsburgh State scored 74 goals last season, averaging 2.8 goals per game, and will look to remain among the conference’s top offensive teams. The Cardinals will need to replace the production of their lone All-SUNYAC honoree, Jake Sacratini, while continuing to build on their offensive success.
Coach’s Insights:
“We have a hungry group competing for spots in the opening-day lineup. We have a slightly larger roster this year than in years past, which has helped cultivate that competition. I have been very pleased with the quality of our practices so far,” said head coach Steve Moffat. “We have had great leadership, not only from our captains but from the entire group. The coaches and players are excited to get going after a long offseason.”
Player’s Insights:
“We are super excited about the upcoming season. Every game is like a playoff match, so we look forward to playing every single opponent. It will also be interesting to see who will stand out from our big freshman class. We have a lot of good recruits coming in. I think that’s one of the things that is special about our group, the number of guys on the roster and the fact that every single one can be a difference-maker. Our goals were and will always be high coming into the season. It’s better to underachieve high goals than overachieve small ones,” said senior captain Vlad Pshenichnikov.
Team Outlook:
The Cardinals enter the 2026-27 season with a blend of veteran experience and emerging talent, looking to build on last season’s quarterfinal run while replacing several key contributors from the 2025-26 roster, most notably All-SUNYAC Third Team honoree Jake Sacratini.
Plattsburgh State returns 17 players from last season’s squad, led by junior Quinn Tavares (Mississauga, Ontario), who finished second on the team in scoring, and sophomore goaltender Beau Lane (Pembroke, Mass.), who recorded eight wins and led the Cardinals in save percentage. The Cardinals also welcome 14 newcomers to the roster, adding fresh talent and competition at every position. The combination of returning experience and new faces gives Plattsburgh State added depth as it looks to establish its identity and make another push toward the postseason in 2026-27.
Inside the Nest:
Goaltenders
The Cardinals return two goaltenders in sophomores Lane and Brady Spry (Belleville, Ontario), while first-year Elliot Pratt (Toronto, ON) joins the group to provide additional depth in the crease.
Both Lane and Spry saw significant action as first-years last season, with Lane handling the bulk of the workload. He appeared in 13 games and posted a team-best .924 save percentage. Spry saw action in 11 games and finished with a .918 save percentage, giving the Cardinals two experienced options between the pipes entering the 2026-27 season.
With both Lane and Spry returning after gaining valuable game experience last season, competition for the starting role should be strong throughout the season. Pratt adds another capable option to the goaltending corps as the Cardinals look to solidify their play in the crease.
Defensemen
Young talent anchors the Cardinals’ blue line this season, with returning sophomores Thierry Lizotte (Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, Quebec), Jaden Ward (East Aurora, N.Y.), and Mike English (Hague, N.Y.) joined by a talented group of first-year defensemen.
Lizotte leads the returning defensemen in blocked shots after recording 22 last season, while also contributing six points (1G, 5A) in 26 games. English matched Lizotte with six points (2G, 4A) in 25 contests and finished second among returning defensemen with 21 blocked shots. Ward appeared in 22 games and added four assists, providing additional experience on the back end.
The Cardinals also welcome first-years Jules Delepoulle (Amiens, France), Matthew Holst (Boston, N.Y.), Maxime Poirier (L’Ancienne-Lorette, QC), Evan Mayer (Duncan, BC), and Louis Sweenor (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) to the defensive corps. The newcomers add fresh talent to the group, giving Plattsburgh State a young blue line with opportunities to grow and contribute throughout the season.
Forwards
The Cardinals return a strong core up front, led by Tavares, who tallied 23 points (7G, 16A) last season. Senior Aaron Catron (Middletown, Del.) and sophomore Gabriel Filion (Montreal, Quebec) each added 15 points (9G, 6A), giving Plattsburgh State three of its top scorers back in the lineup and providing an experienced foundation for the forward group.
Senior Vlad Pshenichnikov (Moscow, Russia) returns after recording 12 points (5G, 7A), while junior Patrick Cole (Lancaster, N.Y.) contributed nine points (4G, 5A) last season. Graduate student Joshua Belgrave (Burlington, Ontario) also returns, bringing valuable veteran leadership and offensive experience.
Additional returners include juniors Shane Bondy (Sharon, Ontario), Blake Hall (Fort Erie, Ontario), and Tyler Ramm (Westborough, Mass.), along with sophomores Zander Latreille (Windsor, Ontario), Alexandro Moliner (Delson, Quebec), and Felix-Antoine Parenteau (St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec).
Joining the returning forwards is an exciting first-year class featuring Charlie Burchfield (Brighton, MI), Anthony Campbell (Phillipsburg, QC), Brendan Boring (West Babylon, N.Y.), Gus El-Tahhan (Fredericton, NB), Ethan MacTavish (Kanata,ON), Anton Malyshev (Riga, Latvia), Alessio Nardelli (Laval, QC), and Robin Zehnder (Zurich, SUI). The newcomers add depth and competition throughout the forward lines, strengthening a group poised to make an impact in 2026-27.
