Hockey

Category: Hockey

Power play leads UWSP over Lawrence

APPLETON, Wis. — The UW-Stevens Point hockey team converted 4-of-6 chances on the power play Saturday night and went on to a 9-1 non-conference victory over Lawrence University at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

The second-ranked Pointers (2-0-0) scored a pair of power-play goals in each of the first two periods to take control. Joe Kalisz and Kyle Sharkey each had a pair of goals for Stevens Point, and both of Sharkey’s goals came on the power play in the second period.

Lawrence (0-2-0) got its goal in the first period when Josh Koepplinger scored off an assist from Brad Mueller. It was the first collegiate goal for Koepplinger.

The Pointers led 4-1 after the opening period, and that would be the end of the night for Lawrence goaltender Mattias Soderqvist. He made 10 saves in the opening period. Freshman James Schroeder played the final two periods and finished with 15 saves.

Stevens Point scored three more times in the second, twice on the power play, and then added a pair of goals in the third.

 

Jesse Gordichuk stopped 28 shots for the Pointers.

Box score

Big third period leads ninth-ranked Blugolds past Lawrence

APPLETON, Wis. — The No. 9 UW-Eau Claire hockey team scored three third-period goals to break open a close game and defeated Lawrence University 5-1 Friday night at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

The Blugolds led 2-1 after the second period in the season opener for both teams, but Eau Claire scored twice in the first 9:20 of the final period to break it open.

Preston Hodge’s goal to make it 3-1 came on a strange play. Lawrence was on the power play when the Vikings were called for a delayed penalty. Eau Claire goaltender Tyler Green was pulled and Hodge scored at the 5:16 mark on a short-handed goal.

Eau Claire’s Garrett Clemment then scored on the power play at 9:20 to make it 4-1.

The game got a little chippy in the final minutes, and Eau Claire finished with 11 penalties for 33 minutes. The Vikings had 10 penalties for 20 minutes. The Blugolds added an empty-netter with 53 seconds left to complete the scoring.

After a scoreless opening period, Eau Claire scored twice in a span of 2:08 in the middle of the second. Ethan Nauman and Preston Hodge scored to stake the Blugolds to a 2-0 advantage.

Ryan Eardley got Lawrence on the board at the 13:18 mark of the second when he took a long pass from Brendan Vetter and rifled it past Green into the upper left corner of the net.

Mattias Soderqvist stopped 26 shots for Lawrence, and Green made 23 saves for Eau Claire.

Box score

Inside LU Athletics: Vikings’ hockey hopes hinge on defense

APPLETON, Wis. — Mike Szkodzinski is pulling a Marty McFly and heading back to the future.

The Lawrence University hockey coach and his team open the season this weekend, and for the Vikings to find success in the coming months, Szkodzinski has to reach back into the past.

Szkodzinski built the Lawrence program on defense, and a return to that emphasis is vital. The Vikings have junior Mattias Soderqvist back in goal, and the blue line is secured by senior captain Brandon Boelter and sophomore assistant captain Brendan Vetter.

“Mattias has absolutely established himself as a leader on and off the ice,” Szkodzinski said. “He works as hard as anyone and looks poised to have a breakout season. We expect him to be our rock this year.”

Soderqvist has been absolutely spectacular at times in the past, but he is looking to improve on his 4.21 goals against average and .895 save percentage from a season ago. A big, athletic goaltender, Soderqvist picked up some signature wins a season ago, including Lawrence’s first victory ever at MSOE’s Kern Center and a playoff-clinching triumph over Finlandia.

The Vikings have three outstanding pairs of defensemen, led by Boelter and Vetter. In addition to being the defensive leaders, Boelter and Vetter are big contributors on offense. Vetter actually led the team with seven goals a season ago, and Boelter tied for second on the team with eight assists.

“We have veterans on the blue line led by Brendan Vetter and Brandon Boelter,” Szkodzinski said. “We expect them to be steady and reliable. If we use the lessons learned over the past few seasons, we should have a very solid defensive corps.”

While the defense is strong and deep, offense might be tougher to come by for the Vikings. Lawrence scored only 53 goals a season ago, and the Vikings will need contributions from many sources to light the lamp.

“We will definitely need to score by committee,” Szkodzinski said. “We will need to create second chances and be hounds at the net front. We expect all of our forward lines to contribute on the scoresheet at different points this season.”

Junior Blake Roubos and sophomore Jake Kreutzer are the top returning scorers. Roubos had six goals and eight assists a season ago, and Kreutzer was at five goals and a team-best nine assists. Senior Renato Engler (4-8-12), Matt Moore (5-6-11) and Ryan Rumble (5-5-10) all figure to play critical roles.

“While we may not have a standout scorer at this point, we are confident we have the depth to put the puck in the net,” Szkodzinski said.

Playing in the rugged Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, the Vikings are now part of the North Division in the reorganized league. Joining Lawrence in the North are St. Norbert, St. Scholastica, Northland, Finlandia and MSOE. The South Division is Adrian, Lake Forest, Concordia (Wis.), Marian and Aurora.

The top three teams in each division will make the playoffs.

“The NCHA is arguably the best conference in the nation,” Szkodzinski said. “We feel we have a great opportunity to play against the best teams in the nation. Our goal is to get into the Harris Cup playoffs and make some noise.”

Stewart to serve as hockey assistant, head golf coach

Matt Stewart
Matt Stewart

APPLETON, Wis. — Matt Stewart has joined the Lawrence University coaching staff and will serve in two roles, Director of Athletics Mike Szkodzinski announced today.

Stewart will be the assistant hockey coach and head golf coach, Szkodzinski said.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Matt to our hockey family and to the department,” said Szkodzinski, who also serves as Lawrence’s head hockey coach. “During his interview, it became very clear that Matt is a driven young man who has the passion to be a coach for a long time. His experience as a Division I athlete as well as his network of coaches will serve our players and our program well.”

Stewart is a 2015 graduate of Western Michigan University, where he played hockey for the Broncos and earned a bachelor’s degree in business.

“I am extremely proud and excited to be joining Lawrence University,” Stewart said. “The way the entire athletic staff  and the players have welcomed me with open arms has been truly humbling. I look forward to developing Lawrence student-athletes both on and off the ice and can’t wait to get to work.”

Stewart is a native of Brighton, Mich., and played for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League before attending Western Michigan. The Gamblers won the Clark Cup during Stewart’s tenure with the team.

A defenseman, Stewart was a contributor during all four seasons at Western Michigan. He helped the Broncos to 73 wins over four seasons and a .545 winning percentage during that stretch.

Stewart replaces Jon Sheridan, who took a position with the NHL’s Dallas Stars. Sheridan is the latest Lawrence assistant coach to make a move up in the hockey world. Former associate head coach Kalle Larsson worked at Lawrence for four season and is now the assistant general manager for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. Former assistant coach Ryan Petersen worked as an assistant coach at his alma mater, St. Norbert College, and now serves as an assistant for the USHL’s Madison Capitols.

“Having all three of our former full-time assistants in great positions within the hockey world is very rewarding,” Szkodzinski said. “It shows that Lawrence is a great place to grow as a coach.”

The Vikings open their season on Friday when they host UW-Eau Claire in a non-conference game at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

Student-athletes receive awards at Honors Celebration

APPLETON, Wis. — More than a dozen Lawrence University student-athletes recently received awards at the 2015 Honors Celebration.

The awards and winners are as follows.

The Ruth Bateman Award is given for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability and leadership by a female athlete. Senior swimmer Taylor Winter (Bayside, Wis./Nicolet) won the award for a second consecutive year. The swim team captain, Winter won the 1,650-yard freestyle for the second consecutive year at the 2015 Midwest Conference Championships and also finished third in the 500 freestyle. Winter broke her own school record in the 1,650 freestyle and recorded an NCAA “B” cut in the event. She also broke Hayley Vatch’s school record in the 500 freestyle.

The Iden Charles Champion Cup is given for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability, college spirit and loyalty. Senior men’s basketball player Andrew Borresen (West Bend, Wis./Living Word Lutheran) has won the award for the second consecutive year. A member of the Dean’s List and Mortar Board, Borresen has a 3.92 grade point average and will graduate with a degree in history. A member of the Academic All-Midwest Conference team, Borresen is co-chairman of Lawrence’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He has served as a volunteer at Richmond Elementary School, worked on Habitat for Humanity projects and volunteered with Lawrence’s Food Recovery Network. He also works in Lawrence’s Sports Information Office and Admissions Office.

The Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Men is given the freshman man who has made the most outstanding contribution to Lawrence athletics. Sharing the award are tennis player David Jumes (Appleton, Wis./Xavier) and hockey player Brendan Vetter (Phillips, Wis./Phillips). Jumes finished with a 14-7 record in singles and an 8-11 mark in doubles. Jumes, who reached the semifinals at No. 2 singles at the Midwest Conference Championships, was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. Vetter, a defeseman, led the team with seven goals scored and was tied for third on the team with 11 points. Vetter also led the team in plus-minus and has been named an assistant captain for next season.

The Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Women is given to the freshman woman who has made the most outstanding contribution to Lawrence athletics. Erin Schrobilgen (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) competed in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field. Schrobilgen earned All-Midwest Conference honors in cross country after a 12th-place finish at the league championships. During the indoor track season, Schrobilgen broke the school record in the mile that had stood since 1978. She also earned Academic All-America honors from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Ralph V. Landis Award was established by the Lettermen of Lawrence in honor of Dr. Landis, physician to Lawrence students from 1926-78, and is awarded for outstanding contributions to Lawrence athletics by a senior male athlete. Senior men’s basketball player Ryan DePouw (Oconto, Wis./Oconto) was honored after finishing a stellar career. A three-year starter and team captain, DePouw is one of just 22 players in Lawrence basketball history to score 1,000 points. He finished 21st in career scoring with 1,028 points.

The Charles E. Pond Award for Men is given for all-around athletic ability by a senior man in two or more sports and for sportsmanship, school spirit and scholarship. Senior soccer player and swimmer Steve Salansky (Parker, Colo./Legend) was a standout in both sports. On the soccer field, Salansky was a three-year starter and two-year team captain. As a defender, he earned All-Midwest Conference three times and was a two-time All-Wisconsin selection. Salansky, who also served as swim team captain, was the second-leading scorer for the squad.

The Charles E. Pond Award for Women is given for all-around athletic ability by a senior woman in two or more sports and for sportsmanship, school spirit and scholarship. Senior multi-sport athlete Kassidy Rinehart (Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville) starred in three sports and won 12 letters for the Vikings. During the fall, Rinehart ran cross country for the Vikings and helped Lawrence to a third-place finish at the Midwest Conference Championships in 2014. During the winter season, Rinehart was a four-year player for the basketball team. She served as the basketball team captain as a senior and was named the team Defensive Most Valuable Player all four years. During the spring season, Rinehart has won four letters as a sprinter and jumper for the track and field team. Rinehart also is the co-chairperson of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and is a four-year Academic All-Midwest Conference selection.

The Marion Read Award is given for outstanding contributions to Lawrence athletics. The award had two winners this year as seniors Keli Muchowski (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) and Kara Vance (Racine, Wis./Park) shared the honor. Muchowski was the leading scorer for the women’s soccer team and earned All-Midwest Conference honors three times. She scored nine goals and handed out three assists in 2014 for 21 points. Muchowski finished ninth in Lawrence history with 26 goals and is eighth with 65 points. Vance was a standout pitcher for the Vikings and finished with a 28-20 career record. Vance was named Midwest Conference Pitcher of the Week twice during her career and her 28 wins ranks sixth in Lawrence history. She holds the Lawrence record for fewest walks per innings pitched with just 36 bases on balls in 292.2 innings pitched. The softball team captain, Vance also served as a student manager for football and is a leader in the Kids Give campaign.

The Letterwinner Award is presented by the L Club to those outstanding seniors who have earned eight or more letters. The winners are:

Kyle Dockery (Barrington, Ill./Barrington), cross country and track and field

Pat Mangan (Barrington, Ill./Barrington), cross country and track and field

Kassidy Rinehart (Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville), cross country, women’s basketball and outdoor track and field

Savannah Vogel (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield), cross country and track and field

Four Vikings named to Academic All-NCHA squad

APPLETON, Wis. — Four Lawrence University student-athletes have been named to the Academic All-Northern Collegiate Hockey Association team.

Senior Kevin Killian (Orchard Lake, Mich.) and sophomores Felix Henriksson (Helsinki, Finland), Brad Mueller (Oak Park, Ill.) and Mattias Soderqvist (Stockholm, Sweden) were all chosen.

To be selected for the team, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore and have a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average.

Killian, a defenseman, was one of 12 players from around the NCHA chosen for the third time, which is the maximum. Killian, who played in 95 games for Lawrence during his career, is a biology major.

Henriksson, a defenseman who played in 15 games this season, is an economics major. Mueller, a forward who played in 25 games this season with one goal and four assists, is an economics major. Soderqvist, a goaltender and economics major, picked up seven wins this past season while compiling a 4.21 goals against average and .895 save percentage. All three sophomores were chosen for the first time.

Lawrence has consistently been one of the conference’s top academic performers. Since Lawrence joined the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association, which later became the NCHA, the Vikings have never had less than four academic all-conference selections in a season.

Lawrence strengthens athletics with full-time hockey coach and new department head

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University is set to begin a new chapter by hiring a full-time director of athletics, university administrators announced today.

Mike-Szkodzinski_newsblog
Mike Szkodzinski

Current Director of Athletics and Head Hockey Coach Mike Szkodzinski said he is ready to return his focus solely to leading the hockey program. Despite splitting time between the roles of administrator and coach, Szkodzinski has put together a record of significant achievements during his nearly six years as athletic director.

Read the full story

Green Knights shut out Lawrence

DE PERE, Wis. — St. Norbert College scored three times in the first period Saturday at the Cornerstone Community Center and went on to a 6-0 win over Lawrence University to clinch the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal playoff series.

Michael Hill recorded a hat trick for the eighth-ranked Green Knights (19-5-2), who advance to the Harris Cup semifinals.

St. Norbert scored three times on the power play as Lawrence (7-19-2) was whistled for 14 penalties. The Vikings went 0-for-4 on the man-advantage.

Blake Thompson scored at 8:11 of the first on the power play to put the Green Knights on the board. Hill scored 1:57 later, and Marian Fiala scored at the 13:59 mark to give St. Norbert a 3-0 edge.

Hill and Tyler Zepeda both scored power-play goals in the second period, and Hill’s goal with 4:30 left in the third period completed the hat trick.

Tony Kujava made 23 saves to earn his second shutout in as many nights for St. Norbert. Mattias Soderqvist made 35 saves for the Vikings.

Box score

St. Norbert takes playoff series opener from Vikings

DE PERE, Wis. — St. Norbert College put together a dominating defensive performance and posted a 5-0 win over Lawrence University in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal series playoff opener on Friday night.

The Green Knights (18-5-2) allowed just 11 shots on goal and scored twice in each of the first two periods to take command of the game.

St. Norbert only needs a tie in Saturday’s series finale to advance to the NCHA Harris Cup semifinals. Lawrence (7-18-1) needs to win Saturday’s game to force a decisive mini-game.

Five different players scored for the Green Knights, who snapped off 50 shots on goal. Cullen Bradshaw got the scoring started with a power-play goal at 11:45 of the first, and Blake Thompson added another power-play goal at 16:53 for a 2-0 lead.

St. Norbert went 2-for-8 on the power play, and the Vikings were 0-for-6.

The Green Knights pulled away with second-period goals from Tanner Froese and Kyle Lee, and Chris Rial scored early in the third period to complete the scoring.

Tony Kujava made 11 saves to pick up the shutout for St. Norbert, and Mattias Soderqvist stopped 45 shots for the Vikings.

Box score