Lawrence rolls past Sabres to win Battle of Highway 41

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — Lawrence University got off to a fast start and rolled to a 6-2 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Marian University on Saturday afternoon at the Blue Line Ice Center.

The victory capped a weekend sweep of the Sabres and gave Lawrence the trophy in the Battle of Highway 41 series. Lawrence also moved into a first-place tie with the Sabres in the MCHA Northern Division.

Brad Scurfield and Huck Saunders scored two goals apiece for the Vikings (9-9-3, 8-5-3 MCHA), and Gustav Lindgren and Erik Soderlund both had two assists.

Scurfield scored just 10 seconds into the game off passes from Matt Hughes and Soderlund to stake the Vikings to a 1-0 lead. Saunders added a goal just two minutes later, and the Vikings were up 2-0.

Lawrence made it 3-0 at the 12:17 mark of the first when Saunders scored off a pass from Paul Zuke.

Marian got goals from Brendan Roberts and Chris Thompson in the second period to trim the margin to 3-2. Phil Bushbacher then scored a power-play goal as time expired in the second period to give Lawrence a 4-2 lead heading into the second intermission.

Lawrence sealed the win on Hughes’ power-play goal just 4:56 into the final period. Scurfield then added the final goal at the 11:36 mark.

Peter Emery stopped 25 shots to pick up the victory for the Vikings. Josh Baker made the start and took the loss after playing the first two periods for Marian (9-8-4, 8-5-3).

Lawrence piled up a 45-27 edge in shots.

Lawrence returns to action next weekend when its hosts Finlandia University in a weekend series.

Box score