The Men’s DII Hockey team hosted three games this weekend beginning Friday against Concordia University and Saturday and Sunday against Sault College. Coming into the weekend the Lions had a record of 16-1-1 on the season.
Game one of the weekend against the Concordia Falcons of Wisconsin was an uncharacteristic game for the Lions. The first period was very tight checking with not a lot of chances on both sides. Both teams were held scoreless in the period. The Falcons outshot the Lions 10-7 in the first.
The second period is where the Lions started to find their footing with a lot more speed and chances. It took until 16:17 of the second to break the scoreless tie. The Lions would get a goal by Jack Louko assisted by Gavin Delfosse. Then at 18:08 of the second Nick Jones would score his 17th of the season unassisted. The Lions would lead 2-0 after two periods. The Lions outshot the Falcons 14-5 in the second.
The only goal of the third period was scored by the Falcons shorthanded at 5:20. The goal was scored by Charlie Emme. The Lions outshot the Falcons 13-10 in the third and 34-25 for the game. A very low scoring game for the Lions but a 2-1 win. Lions goalie Cade Kujawski stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced in the win.
Game two of the weekend started a two game series with Sault College, and this is where the Lions started to score at will. At 9:27 of the opening period the Lions would get on the board with a goal by Stanley Lucas, assisted by Gage Vierzba and Ethan Christofferson. Less than a minute later, the Lions would strike again. This time it was Zachary Schwartz scoring from Jake Lange and Vierzba. Exactly three minutes later the Lions would add another. Trent Sylvester would score his third of the season, assisted by Praveen Dhaliwal and Logan Millhausen. The Lions were not done in the first as they would score a fourth goal.
Chase McClellan would light the lamp assisted by Millhausen. The Lions would lead 4-0 after the first and outshot Sault College 13-6.
The second period saw much of the same for the Lions as they were just overwhelming Sault College. At 2:56 the Lions would add a fifth goal unanswered. Austin Meers would score on the power play assisted by Jones and Granville. Sault College would finally get a goal at 18:37 of the second. The goal was scored by Chase Johnson. The Lions responded right away at 19:19 with a power play goal by Sylvester assisted by Louko. Then with one second left in the second period the Lions would add insult to injury adding a goal by Jones on the powerplay assisted by Lucas. The Lions would lead 7-1 after two periods of play. The Lions outshot Sault College 21-6 in the second.
The Lions did not let up in the third at all adding another power play goal less than two minutes into play. Delfosse would score from Zac Maupin and McClellan. Then at 7:51 Sylvester would score his hat trick goal unassisted to make it a 9-1 Lions lead. Sault College would get their second goal of the game at 9:15 scored by Ethan Esposito. The Lions would hit double digits at 14:05 with a power play goal by Michael Mullen assisted by Meers and Lucas. Mullen would add another power play goal at 18:49 assisted by Jacob Behnen and Lucas. The Lions would win the game easily 11-2. The Lions outshot Sault College 13-10 in the third and 47-22 for the game.
Lions goalie Cole Wheaton played well, stopping 20 and the 22 shots that he faced in net for the win.
The third game of the weekend saw special teams be the key to success as every goal scored by the Lions was on the power play. At 8:25 of the opening period the Lions would light the lamp on a goal by Lucas assisted by Meers and Jones. Then at 11:39 Mullen would score,
assisted by Lucas and Jones. The Lions would take that 2-0 lead into the second. The Lions outshot Sault College 19-3 in the opening frame.
In the second period, both teams were held scoreless meaning the Lions would go into the third period winning 2-0. The Lions outshot Sault College 13-10 in the second.
44 seconds into the third period the Lions would add a third goal. Lucas scored his second of the game from Granville and Meers. Two minutes later, at 2:47 Meers would score from Mullen to make it 4-0 at this point. At 9:24 the Lions would score again. Lucas netted his hat trick goal from Meers and Jones. Then at 9:52 Mullen would score his second of the contest from Jones and Granville. The 6-0 lead for the Lions would hold and end up being the final score. The Lions outshot Sault College 17-5 in the third and 49-18 for the game.
Lions goalie Justin Grenon stopped all 18 shots that he faced for the win and the shutout.
With the sweep of the weekend the Lions now have a record of 19-1-1 on the season, and are 14-0-0 on home ice. Next up for Lions is a battle with Maryville University Dec. 13th and 14th at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights Missouri.
