Hockey

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — Austin Frank scored twice in the final 6:20 Saturday to lift the Lawrence University hockey team to a 4-3 non-conference victory over St. Olaf College.

The game was part of the Thanksgiving Showdown at the Blue Line Ice Center. It also was victory No. 100 for Lawrence coach Mike Szkodzinski.

Lawrence (3-5-0) trailed 3-2 after Peter Lindblad’s power-play goal just 2:27 into the third period. All three of St. Olaf’s goals came on the man-advantage.

Lawrence struck back on the power play after Judd Loewenstein was sent off for cross-checking at 13:08. Frank, off assists from Brandon Boelter and Nick Felan, scored at the 13:40 mark to tie the game at 3-3.

The Vikings then killed off a penalty before getting the game-winner. Frank scored with just 1:15 left off assists from Brad Mueller and Sean Reynolds to give Lawrence the lead.

St. Olaf (2-5-3) pulled goaltender Robert MacDonald for the final 56 seconds but couldn’t get the equalizer. MacDonald made 27 saves for the Oles.

Mattias Soderqvist stopped 25 shots to pick up the win for Lawrence.

Josh Koepplinger gave Lawrence a 1-0 lead when he scored on the power play at 7:21 of the first with assists from Felan and Renato Engler. The Oles tied it with Lindblad’s power-play with with 2:00 left in the first.

Mikkel Joehnk put Lawrence on top 2-1 with a goal 4:37 into the second as Koepplinger and Mueller picked up assists. St. Olaf tied it at 2-2 on Ole Setsaas’ power-play goal at the 9:57 mark.

The Vikings went 2-for-9 on the power play, and St. Olaf was 3-for-8.

Box score

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — The No. 10 UW-Eau Claire hockey team scored early and never looked back en route to a 7-0 non-conference win over Lawrence University on Friday.

The game was part of the Thanksgiving Showdown at the Blue Line Ice Center.

Brandon Wahlin scored just 3:50 into the game and the Blugolds (6-1-2) were on their way. Wahlin also added a goal in the third period.

Ethan Nauman scored midway through the first period, and the Blugolds led 2-0 after the first. Garret Clemment then scored at the 12:08 mark of the second for a 3-0 after two.

Eau Claire then scored four times in the third to break the game wide open.

Tyler Green made 19 saves to pick up the shutout for Eau Claire. Freshman Greg Procopio, playing in his first collegiate game, made 30 saves for Lawrence (2-5-0).

Box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University hockey team heads south down Interstate 41 to play in the Thanksgiving Showdown this weekend at Marian University. The Vikings take on No. 10 UW-Eau Claire on Friday at 4 p.m., and Lawrence faces St. Olaf College on Saturday at 4 p.m. Both games are at the Blue Line Ice Center.

Series preview

HANCOCK, Mich. — Lawrence University broke on top early Saturday and never looked back en route to a 7-2 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Finlandia University at Houghton County Arena.

Ryan Rumble and Sean Reynolds scored two goals apiece, and Renato Engler had a goal and three assists for the Vikings (2-4-0, 2-2-0 NCHA). Sophomore Lane King, who transferred to Lawrence from Finlandia earlier this year, picked up three assists against his former mates.

Mattias Soderqvist made 25 saves to earn the victory for Lawrence.

The Vikings broke on top less than five minutes into the game. After Lawrence’s Ryan Eardley was sent off for interference at the 3:49 mark, Renato Engler scored a short-hander at 4:44 and Lawrence led 1-0.

The score stayed that way until early in the second when Rumble scored an even-strength goal 2:27 into the period. Reynolds scored on the power play at 13:36, and Eardley added a goal at 15:53 off a feed from Engler to make it 4-0.

Freshman Josh Koepplinger scored just 2:32 into the third to put the Vikings up 5-0, and Reynolds stretched the lead to 6-0 when he scored Lawrence’s second short-hander of the night off a pass from Engler.

The Lions broke up the shutout with a pair of power-play goals late in the third, and Rumble scored again with 1:10 remaining to complete the scoring for Lawrence.

The seven goals is the most in a game for Lawrence since the Vikings defeated Northland College 8-6 back on Nov. 10, 2012.

Box score

HANCOCK, Mich. — Lawrence University rallied to tie it in the third period Friday, but the Vikings dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to Finlandia University in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game at Houghton County Arena.

Bryce Mitzel scored 1:08 into overtime to deliver the victory for Finlandia (1-3-3, 1-2-2 NCHA).

Lawrence (1-4-0, 1-2-0) trailed 2-0 heading into the third but tied it midway through the period. Freshman Nick Felan scored his first collegiate goal at the 6:32 mark to cut the lead to 2-1. Austin Frank then scored off a feed from Matt Moore at the 10:44 mark to tie the game at 2-2.

Finlandia countered with a goal from Thomas Malkmus at the 15:53 to grab a 3-2 advantage. Lawrence struck back just 16 seconds later when Steve Hughes scored his first goal of the season to tie it. Felan and Ryan Rumble picked up assists on Hughes’ goal.

Mattias Soderqvist made 19 saves for the Vikings, and Walker Enstad made 29 saves for Finlandia. Lawrence had a 32-23 edge in shots.

The Vikings came up empty on the power play at 0-for-4, and the Lions were 1-for-5.

Box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University hockey team heads to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to take on Finlandia University in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association series on Friday and Saturday. Both games are set for 7:15 p.m. Eastern time. Lawrence returns to action for the first time since splitting the opening NCHA series of the season with Marian University on Nov. 6-7.

Series Preview

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — Marian University scored three times in the opening period and went on to a 6-0 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Lawrence University Saturday at the Blue Line Ice Center.

Since Lawrence won Friday’s game 3-2, the weekend series was tied. Marian then won a shootout 2-1 to allow the Sabres to retain possession of the Battle of Highway 41 trophy.

Marian (2-2-0, 2-2-0 NCHA) scored two goals in a span of 1:07 midway through the first period to break on top. Gianni Mangone scored at 11:35 and Brian Perl added a power-play goal at 12:42 for a 2-0 edge. Tanner Pagendam added another goal with 1:32 left in the first for a 3-0 advantage.

After a scoreless second period, the Sabres scored three more times, including another goal by Pagendam, in the third.

Mike Baldwin stopped 31 shots to record the shutout for Marian. Mattias Soderqvist made 20 saves for the Vikings (1-3-0, 1-1-0), who had a 31-26 edge in shots.

Box score

APPLETON, Wis. — Matt Moore’s goal early in the third period Friday was the difference as Lawrence University downed Marian University 3-2 in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

The game was part of the annual Battle of Highway 41 series, which shifts to the Blue Line Ice Center in Fond du Lac on Saturday. The Vikings (1-2-0, 1-0-0 NCHA) need a win or a tie Saturday to take back the traveling trophy.

The game was tied at 2-2 to start the third period, and the Vikings cashed in on an early scoring chance. Steve Hughes took a pass from Ryan Rumble, and Hughes’ shot was deflected to Moore, who was waiting on the back door. Moore stuffed the shot in the back of the net and the Vikings led 3-2 at the 5:13 mark.

The teams traded scoring chances throughout the third, and Marian pulled goaltender Mike Gudmandson with 1:28 remaining. The Vikings withstood a final flurry to seal the win.

Lawrence goaltender Mattias Soderqvist made 30 saves to pick up the win. Gudmandson stopped 20 shots for the Sabres (1-2-0, 1-2-0).

Lawrence jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of first-period goals. Renato Engler scored at the 9:02 mark off a pass from Brad Mueller, and Jake Kreutzer then scored on the power play at 11:22. Brandon Boelter and Austin Frank picked up assists on Kreutzer’s goal.

Marian countered with a power-play goal from Gianni Mangone and a goal from James Mathias in the second period to tie it.

Box score

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University and Marian University square off this weekend in the Battle of Highway 41 series. Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m. at the Appleton Family Ice Center, and the teams meet Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Blue Line Ice Center in Fond du Lac, Wis. This marks the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association season opener for Lawrence.

In addition, the Lawrence Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will be conducting a food drive to benefit COTS, a Fox Cities organization that benefits the chronically homeless. Anyone who donates a canned food item receives $1 off admission for Friday’s game. Cash donations for the food drive are also welcome.

Preview