Big third period pushes Vikings past Finlandia

The Lawrence University hockey team scored three times in the first 9:39 of the third period and went on to a 5-2 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Finlandia University on Saturday at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

Five different players scored for Lawrence (4-6-0, 4-4-0 MCHA), and Erik Soderlund and Paul Zuke had two assists apiece for the Vikings. Lawrence also scored two short-handed goals, and the Vikings now have five short-handers on the season.

Lawrence led 2-1 entering the third period, and the Vikings quickly pulled away. Phil Bushbacher scored off passes from Logan Lemirande and Zuke just 2:22 into the period for a 3-1 lead. Rudi Pino then scored at the 5:54 mark off passes from Brandon Boelter and Soderlund for a 4-1 edge.

After Soderlund got whistled for roughing at 8:12, the Lions (3-6-0, 3-5-0) went on the power play but it was Lawrence that cashed in. Brad Scurfield scored an unassisted short-handed goal at 9:39 for a 5-1 Lawrence lead.

Mike Montrose scored on the power play for Finlandia at the 14:20 mark to cut the lead to 5-2, but that’s as close as the Lions would get.

Lawrence jumped on Finlandia early with Huck Saunders scoring for the Vikings just 6:31 into the first period. Lemirande got the first short-handed goal of his career when scored at the 8:07 mark of the first to put the Vikings up 2-0. Justin Scott scored for Finlandia with just 1:32 left in the second period to trim the margin to 2-1.

Peter Emery made 28 saves to pick up the victory for Lawrence. Troy Chandler stopped 36 shots and took the loss.

Box score