MEQUON, Wis. – The Trine University men's hockey team needed a late goal but completed the sweep of their hosts from Concordia University Wisconsin with a 6-4 victory. Six different members of the team scored in the contest.
It was the Falcons that scored first in the game, taking a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute of the first period. The goal came on the first of only two power plays for the home team. Penalties were scarce in the contest with the teams combining for just 10 minutes of box time.
The Thunder responded in the 19th minute of the period. Brendan Finn and Brody Simko combined for a takeaway just inside of the offensive zone with Finn carrying the puck forward to the far side of the net. He passed it back to Keiton Klein who netted his shot from just in front of the crease.
Trine added to their lead twice in the second period. The first goal came in the fourth minute. Blake Tierney tipped a pass in the defensive zone with Max Marquette recovering the loose puck. Marquette fired a pass through the neutral zone to Trayce Johnson at just over the red line. Johnson completed the breakaway with the goal.
The other second period goal came on one of the Thunder's three power play chances. Alexander Babich won a faceoff back to Luke deVries who forwarded a pass to Logan Furstenau at the top of the near faceoff circle. Furstenau's slap shot went top shelf for the goal.
Concordia scored one more goal to end the period sending the game to its final intermission with a 3-2 score in favor of Trine.
The Thunder added to their lead in the third minute of the final stanza. This time Marquette fired a shot from the top of the near faceoff circle, but it bounced off Dylan Glinski who was posted up in front of the net. The puck bounced into the slot where Sean Henry was able to collect it and fire a quick shot into the goal.
The Falcons refused to go away, scoring the next two goals to tie the game with just under six minutes remaining in the game. Two minutes later, Simko passed the puck to the top of the near faceoff circle where Johnson fired a shot toward the net. The shot was blocked aside to the far circle. Babich was in the area but facing the wrong direction, he spun on the spot and fired a shot into the goal.
Simko iced the game in the final minute with a long empty net goal that made the score 6-4.
The Thunder improve to 3-1-0 overall and 2-0-0 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) play. They will open the home portion of their season the next time they take the ice. They are set to host the University of Dubuque for a pair of games beginning on Friday, November 14 at 7 p.m.
