After last weekend’s exhibition series, the Lions took the ice for the season-opening series against the number nine ranked Wisconsin Badgers in Madison at the Kohl Center.
The Lions wanted to start the season strong and did just that, making history on Friday night. This is the first time the Lions have beaten the University of Wisconsin and the first time the program has beaten a nationally ranked opponent.
The Lions would draw first blood in this game, with about nine minutes to go in the opening period. Lions forward Jaeden Mercier netted the first goal of the season. The assists went to both John Evans and Noah Houle. The lead would not last long, however, as the Badgers tied it at one with a little less than five minutes to go in the opening period. The Lions would score again with under two minutes to go, and once again it was Mercier with the goal, making it 2-1. Lions goalie Owen Bartoszkiewicz stopped 12 out of 13 shots in the period.
The second period saw only one goal being scored, put into the back of the net by Lindenwood and forward Alex Lundman, who made it 3-1. The assists on the goal went to David Gagnon and Drew Kuzma. Bartoszkiewicz stopped all 14 shots he faced in the period.
In the third, the Badgers would get a goal of their own in just under seven minutes played in the period to make it 3-2. To the Lions’ credit, they stuck with their plan and it ended up working because, with about three minutes left in the game, Lindenwood would double their lead making it 4-2. The goal was scored by Artyom Borshyov, with Evans and Gagnon assisting. Bartoszkiewicz would make eight stops in the period, and a total of 34 saves for the game. Despite taking the win, Lindenwood got outshot 36-19 in the game but led where it counted.
The Lions looked to build off that big win in game one and make even more history in game two against the Badgers. The game started well for the Lions, as forward Ethan Zielke scored 14 minutes into the game to put the Lions up 1-0. The assists on the goal went to Jack Anderson and Ty Hipkin. The Badgers outshot the Lions 11-6 in the period.
Lindenwood would score quickly into the second period as well, with a goal by Gagnon, with Zielke on the assist to make it 2-0. The lead for the Lions would be cut in half with about 30 seconds left in the second, as Quinn Finley scored for the Badgers to make it 2-1. Lindenwood got outshot 16-7 in the period.
Now into the third period, the Badgers would tie the game late with another goal by Finley, who ended up having a really big night. That goal tied the game at two, and that is where it stayed at the end of regulation. The Badgers outshot the Lions 11-4 in the third.
This game would go to overtime, the first overtime game this season for the Lions. The entire overtime was controlled by the Badgers and with just 18 seconds left, they scored to win the game 3-2. The goal was scored by Daniel Laatsch, and Finley would add an assist as well. In the overtime, the Badgers outshot the Lions 7-0.
The Badgers, for the game, outshot the Lions 45-17. Lions goalie, Bartoszkiewicz would make a total of 76 saves in the two-game set. The Lions fall to 1-1-0 on the season while the Badgers improve to 1-1-0.
The Lion’s next game is Friday, Oct. 18th when they take on Air Force at Cadet Ice Arena in El Paso Country, Colorado.
