GENEVA, Ill. — Nick Felan scored a pair of goals Saturday as Lawrence University rallied for a 5-3 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Aurora University at the Fox Valley Ice Arena.
The Vikings trailed 2-1 entering the second period, but Felan scored twice in the second to help stake Lawrence (5-8-2, 4-4-2 NCHA) to a 4-3 lead. The Vikings added an insurance goal in the third.
Mattias Soderqvist played the final 45 minutes in goal and stopped 23 shots to pick up the win for Lawrence. Jared Rutledge gave up three goals in the first 24:10 before being replaced by Max Kirkwood. Kirkwood stopped 22 shots and took the loss.
It was a quick start for both teams as Brendan Logan scored just 1:10 into the opening period to put Aurora up 1-0. Carson Knop countered for the Vikings just 23 seconds later to tie it at 1-1. Aurora’s Tim Santopoalo scored with 5:27 left in the opening period and the Spartans led 2-1 after one.
The Vikings quickly tied it with the help of a power play. After Liam Stirtzinger was sent off for boarding 43 seconds into the period, the Vikings went on the man-advantage. Lawrence captain Brad Mueller scored off an assist from Blake Roubos a second after the penalty expired to tie it at 2-2.
Felan then scored his first goal of the game at the 4:10 mark off assists from Lane King and Josh Koepplinger to put Lawrence up 3-2.
Stirtzinger countered with a power-play goal for Aurora at the 10:12 mark, but it didn’t stay tied for long. Felan scored just 2:09 later off an assist from Matt Beranek and Lawrence led 4-3.
After matching penalties put each man down a skater, Matt Montemurro scored at 6:00 of the third as Koepplinger and King each picked up assists again. Aurora pulled Kirkwood for the final 1:52 but couldn’t draw any closer.