Lindenwood’s Division II men’s hockey team wrapped up a two-game series with Drury University over the weekend, splitting the weekend at one win a piece.
On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Lions won 5-3 over Drury, while the Panthers struck back on Sunday, Jan. 28 with a 4-1 win of their own.
In the series opener, Austin Meers was the star of the show, scoring three consecutive goals, a hattrick, in the second and third periods.
However, teammate Chase McClellan drew first blood against Drury, scoring on a power play in the first period to give the Lions the lead. Fellow Lions Eli Roofe and Jacob Behnen were able to score an assist on the game-opening goal. Meers’ first goal came with an assist from Logan Millhausen, and the second of which in the third quarter was aided by both Stanley Lucas and Sam Watson.
Meers’ third goal of the game, and 12th of the season, was unassisted, and when the buzzer sounded, the Lions had a 4-2 lead. The team’s final goal came on a power play, as Lucas found the net with help from Steve Avalone and Watson.
The Lions outshot Drury in the first game, 48 to 16, and the goalie, Ethan Paulin-Hatch, stopped 13 of the 16 shots that came his way.
Lindenwood struggled on the power play, however, only scoring once in seven opportunities, and allowing two goals to Drury when facing a power play on defense.
Early in the second game, Ryan Granville found the net to give Lindenwood a 1-0, with the shot assisted by Gage Vierzba and Avalone. However, that would be Lindenwood’s only goal of the game, despite outshooting Drury 54 to 27. After two goals by the Panthers, Lindenwood pulled their goalie in a last-ditch effort to get an extra skater on the ice, but the Panthers saw through this, scoring their fourth and final goal of the game to win.
Cade Kujawski, the goalie, saved 23 of the 26 shots that came his way, but the Lions were held scoreless on their two powerplays, en route to the loss.
The series puts the Lions at a 24-9 record heading into the final stretch of their 2023-24 schedule.
The team welcomes Marian University to the Centene Community Ice Center on Saturday, Feb. 3, and Sunday, Feb. 4. Saturday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:45 p.m., with Sunday’s coming at 2 p.m.
Following that weekend, the team has one last series against Trine University at home, and then plays Maryville University’s Division I team before heading to the ACHA Regional Tournament at the end of the month.
