HANCOCK, Mich. — Ryan Eardley and Brendan Vetter each had a goal and an assist Friday night to lead Lawrence University to a 2-1 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Finlandia University at Houghton County Arena.
The win clinches a berth in the NCHA playoff for the Vikings, who are alone in seventh place with 12 points.
Lawrence (7-16-1, 6-11-0 NCHA) scored both of its goals in a stretch of just 1:19 in the opening period.
The Vikings jumped on the board first when Eardley scored his second goal of the year off assists from Vetter and Matt Moore at the 9:25 mark.
After coincidental minors to Lawrence’s Blake Roubos and the Lions’ Thomas Clayton, both teams were skating a man down when the Vikings scored again. Vetter picked up his seventh goal of the season off an assist from Eardley at the 10:44 mark for a 2-0 lead.
The score stayed that way until late in the third period. Finlandia (4-19-1, 3-14-0) pulled goaltender Andrew Brownlee for an extra attacker and Chris Hoffman scored his first goal of the season with just 2:52 remaining in the contest.
Brownlee went back on the ice until the Lions gained control of the puck, and Finlandia had an extra attacker for the final 1:35 but could not get the equalizer.
Mattias Soderqvist stopped 29 shots to pick up the win for Lawrence. Brownlee made 14 saves for the Lions.
The teams wrap up the series and the regular season on Saturday afternoon.