APPLETON, Wis. — Charlie Izaguirre’s empty-net goal as time expired in overtime Friday lifted Lake Forest College to a 3-2 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Lawrence University at the Appleton Family Ice Center.
Lawrence, needing a win to keep its NCHA playoff hopes alive, pulled goaltender Evan Cline with 30 seconds left, and Izaguirre managed to push the puck across the goal line as the buzzer sounded to give Lake Forest the victory.
It didn’t matter for Lawrence, which needed Concordia (Wis.) to defeat Northland College as well. Northland topped the Falcons 6-4.
The loss ruined a great effort from rookie goaltender Evan Cline, who stopped 44 of 46 shots for the Vikings (6-15-3, 5-11-3 NCHA). Billy Cooper made 38 saves to pick up the win for Lake Forest (15-9-0, 11-8-0).
Lawrence grabbed a 2-0 lead on goals from Josh Koepplinger and Carson Knop.
Koepplinger scored off assists from Blake Roubos and Lane King at the 14:08 mark of the first period. Knop made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at the 10:01 mark of the second.
Lawrence finished 1-for-5 on the power play, and Lake Forest was 0-for-6.
Jack Lewis got Lake Forest on the board with an unassisted goal at the 15:16 mark of the second, and the Foresters tied it at 2-2 just 3:32 later on Jimmy Cusan’s goal.
The teams wrap up the series and the regular season Saturday night at Lake Forest.