The Lindenwood men’s hockey team gave fans plenty to cheer about this weekend in Maryland Heights, combining a historic first with a statement performance in back-to-back exhibitions against the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP).
Saturday night marked a milestone for the program as the Lindenwood men’s hockey team competed in its first-ever outdoor game at The Barn at Centene Community Ice Center. Despite a strong effort and an impressive shot advantage, the Lions came up short, falling 6-3 to the talented USNTDP squad. Lindenwood controlled much of the pace early — outshooting the visitors 51-29 — and struck first on a goal from Olivier Houde. However, the National Team responded in the middle frames and pulled away. Lindenwood junior Ty Hipkin and sophomore Ethan Elias added goals in the third, but the night ended with the visitors holding the edge.
But the Lions didn’t stay down for long.
On Sunday afternoon, Lindenwood exploded in a rematch inside Centene Community Ice Center, cruising to a 9-4 victory over the same USNTDP squad in a thrilling offensive display. The Lions came out with intensity, jumping to a 4-0 lead in the opening period behind early goals from Anselmo Rego, Ethan Elias, and Jake Southgate. Freshman Michael Bevilacqua added another before the USNTDP got on the board late in the first.
Hockey fans love a balanced attack, and the Lions delivered. Every goal was scored by a different player, including Louis‑Philippe Fontaine, Ethan Zielke, Connor Gengle, Olivier Houde, and Nolan Seed. The offensive fireworks kept coming through the second and third periods as Lindenwood put the game out of reach.
With about 1:46 left on the clock, a scrap involving both teams’ lines broke out, sending each player to the box for 5 minutes during a review. After what felt like a long review, all 10 players were given game misconducts and sent off the ice for the remainder of the game.
Even though Sunday’s match was an exhibition, the effort showed the depth and skill of this Lions roster. After splitting the weekend with a loss and a big win, Lindenwood shifts focus to the upcoming United Collegiate Hockey Cup, set to take place March 5-7 at Centene Community Ice Center, featuring the nation’s top independent college hockey programs.
