DE PERE, Wis. – In a battle of two of the top-ten teams in the country, the seventh-ranked Trine University men's hockey team came up just short of their hosts from second-ranked St. Norbert College. The final score was 2-1 in favor of the home team.
Neither nationally ranked squad found the back of the net during the first period. The Green Knights had a slight edge on the offensive side of the ice, recording 12 shots on goal to nine by the Thunder. In goal, Cristian Wong-Ramos made all nine saves asked for him during the period, receiving the start for the crucial game.
A late penalty by the home team gave Trine a power play for the final 20 seconds of the first period, giving them a great chance out of the intermission to work for a goal. The visitors won the opening faceoff of the second period and ran their special teams offense for just under a minute before the home side caused a turnover and scored the first goal of the night.
The Thunder trailed 1-0 until just under 20 minutes of game later. This time the Green Knights dumped the puck into the Trine zone after winning the opening faceoff of the period. On the ensuing possession, Jack Cooper ended up carrying the puck into the offensive zone and firing a shot from the top of the near faceoff circle. St. Norbert's goalie turned that shot aside but lost his stick in the process with the puck ending up in the corner. Alexander Babich dug the puck out and got it to the crease where Logan Furstenau recorded a shot from in close. Somehow the home goalie kept the scoreboard clear but only for a few more seconds. The next rebound ended up back with Cooper who went past the goalie on the far side.
The draw lasted a few minutes before St. Norbert responded. They retook the lead in the third minute of the period with an even strength goal. With less than five minutes remaining Trine received another power play opportunity but couldn't convert. They pulled the goalie in the final minute in a last ditch effort, but the Green Knights held on for the win.
Wong-Ramos finished the game with a solid 29 saves while allowing the two goals. The Thunder finished with 24 shots on goal.
The first loss of the season gives Trine a 9-1-1 overall record while putting them at 5-1-1 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA). The Thunder will look to even up the series tomorrow, Saturday, December 7. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET.
