Sabres down Lawrence to win Battle of Highway 41

Marian University scored three goals in a span of four minutes in the first period to take control and went on to a 6-3 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Lawrence University on Saturday night at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

The game was part of the second annual Battle of Highway 41, which was won by Marian for the second consecutive year.

Lawrence (11-11-1, 9-9-0 MCHA) scored first on Vince Vacketta’s first career goal at 7:03 of the first.

The Sabres (17-6-0, 14-4-0) tied the game on Tommy Fitzpatrick’s goal at the 9:42 mark. Marian grabbed a 2-1 lead just 19 seconds later when Tanner Burton scored his first goal of the season. The Sabres made it 3-1 when Matt Williams scored on the power play at 13:42.

The Sabres took a 4-1 lead into the first intermission when Brendan Roberts scored at 18:01. Marian quickly made it 5-1 on Brendan Hull’s goal just 42 seconds into the second period.

Lawrence trimmed the lead to 5-2 late in the second period when Nate Scurfield scored his first career goal, a power-play tally.

William Thoren gave the Vikings some life when he scored on the power play at 7:16 of the third to cut the lead to 5-3. That didn’t last long because Williams scored just 26 seconds later to stretch the lead to 6-3.

Alex Bjerk made 22 saves to pick up the win for the Sabres. Michael Baldino made the start for Lawrence and allowed four first-period goals. Kevin Aslett, seeing his first action for Lawrence, stopped 34 of 36 shots in the final two periods.

Box score