Hockey

Category: Hockey

Raiders shut out Lawrence 4-0

APPLETON, Wis. — The Milwaukee School of Engineering limited Lawrence University to just 19 shots en route to a 4-0 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association over the Vikings on Saturday night at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

 MSOE goaltender Nick Kohn stopped all 19 shots to pick up the shutout for the Raiders (11-5-1, 8-3-1 MCHA). Casey Moneer scored a pair of goals to pace the MSOE attack.

Fabian Sivnert made 34 saves and took the loss for Lawrence (5-10-2, 4-6-2).

The game was scoreless when Lawrence missed on several good scoring chances early in the second period. MSOE counterattacked and Logan Baumann gave MSOE a 1-0 lead with his goal at the 7:03 mark.

The Raiders made it 2-0 when Moneer stuffed the puck past Sivnert after a scramble in front of the net with just 1:33 left in the second period.

Moneer scored again at the 4:44 mark of the third to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead, and MSOE added an empty-net goal by Steve Shaffroth with 1:30 left.

Box score

MSOE edges Lawrence in overtime

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Steve Shaffroth scored 1:18 into overtime to lift the Milwaukee School of Engineering hockey team to a 4-3 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Lawrence University on Friday night at the Kern Center.

MSOE (10-5-1, 7-3-1 MCHA) scored the winning goal off a pass from Kyle Smith in the third consecutive overtime game for Lawrence (5-9-2, 4-5-2).

Lawrence grabbed a 2-1 lead early in the second period. Freshman Rudi Pino scored on the power play for the Vikings just 1:16 into the second period to tie the game at 1-1. Senior forward Phil Bushbacher then scored just 1:01 later to give the Vikings a 2-1 edge.

MSOE tied it at 2-2 on Jordan  Keizer’s goal at the 3:33 mark of the second. Lawrence grabbed the lead right back when Brad Scurfield scored his second short-handed goal of the season at the 6:02 mark.

Lawrence maintained that 3-2 lead until early in the third period when Bradley Tierney scored for the Raiders.

Nick Kohn made 31 saves for the Raiders, who also used goaltender Zach Polak, who made five stops. Lawrence goaltender Fabian Sivnert stopped 33 shots for the Vikings.

The teams wrap up the two-game series Saturday night at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

Inside LU Athletics: Rookies giving Lawrence skaters a boost

The Lawrence University hockey season is like a road test in a driver’s education class.

You’ve got some young guys with their hands on the wheel, you know there will be wrong turns and poor decisions, but in the end, you know they’re getting it.

With nine freshmen on the roster playing a huge role, Lawrence head coach Mike Szkodzinski has chosen to let the young guys drive this team, and the Vikings appear to have turned in the right direction.

“Going into this year, we knew we were going to have to rely on some young guys, and the only way to get them experience was to let them play through their mistakes,” Szkodzinski said. “We stuck to our guns and allowed them to grow. They still have a lot of growing to do, but they have certainly adapted well to this point.”

Lawrence has received 53 percent of its total points from the freshmen, and the rookies played a huge role in last weekend’s pair of ties against seventh-ranked Adrian College. The ties moved Lawrence to 5-8-2 on the season, and the Vikings are in fifth place in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association with a 4-4-2 record. Lawrence also is second in the Northern Division, just two points behind Marian University with two games left against the Sabres this season.

“There certainly have been some bumps in the road,” said Szkodzinski. “Young men are bound to make mistakes at times. This year, more than in the past few seasons, we have had to do a lot of teaching away from the rink. We have made sure our guys know what is expected to be a part of our program, how to prepare for practices and games, how to act on campus and how important it is to be active in their education.  They have bought in to this point.”

Rookie forward Logan Lemirande leads the team with 19 points on four goals and 15 assists. He ranks fourth in the MCHA at 1.46 points per game and is second at 1.15 assists per game. Freshman forward Rudi Pino, also a golf standout for the Vikings, and freshman defenseman Brandon Boelter are tied for third on the team with 17 points. Pino has six goals and 11 assists, and Boelter has five goals and 12 assists.

Boelter is first in the conference in scoring by defensemen at 1.13 points per game, and Lemirande ranks second in the league in freshman scoring at 1.46 points per game. Pino and Boelter are tied for third in the same category.

Freshman forwards Matt Moore, Renato Engler and Ryan Rumble are also seeing significant action.

“(Assistant) coach (Kalle) Larsson did a tremendous job evaluating the talent at the junior level last year,” Szkodzinski said. “This allowed us to bring in some very talented young men. We certainly had hoped they would be able to fill the roles that they have filled, but it is never a guarantee that freshmen can make the jump to not only college hockey, but college life in general. We are happy with their progress.”

While Boelter has proven to be a high-scoring defenseman, freshman Steve Hughes has also proven to be a gritty defender. Hughes, the younger brother of former Lawrence star Matt Hughes, has a goal and two assists for three points.

The recent addition of freshman goaltender Fabian Sivnert, a transfer from Bemidji State, has given the defense a boost as well. Sivnert is 1-1-2 while facing three teams ranked in the top seven. He has a 4.08 goals against average and .894 save percentage.

“We are always looking to bring in quality people, not just quality players,” Szkodzinski said. “Each of these young men were, at some point, captains of their junior or high school programs. We expected a mature group, and they have proven to be that so far.”

The Vikings will need some poise down the stretch to make a move for a top seeding in the MCHA playoffs.

“They are on the right track, but we still have 10 important games to go starting with MSOE on Friday night. We will assess the progress of the entire program after the season,” Szkodzinski said.

“Each game is a new experience for them. At this time of the year, each game gets more important and more intense. As long as they play in these situations, they will continue to grow, and that should mean positive things for the future of Viking hockey.”

Boelter nabs award

Boelter was been named the MCHA Freshman of the Week after helping the Vikings to a pair of ties this past weekend against seventh-ranked Adrian.

A first-year defenseman, Boelter had a goal and two assists on the weekend. Boelter had an assist in last Friday’s 5-5 overtime tie. He scored on the power play in the first period on Saturday, and then assisted on the game-tying goal in the 4-4 overtime tie.

Boelter’s key assist came on Saturday with the Vikings trailing by a goal with less than four minutes left. His blast from the left point was tipped into the net by Brad Scurfield to tie the game and force the overtime.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Director of Athletic Media Relations Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Boelter nabs MCHA Freshman of the Week award

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University standout Brandon Boelter has been named the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Freshman of the Week.

Boelter (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage) earned the honor after helping the Vikings to a pair of ties this past weekend against seventh-ranked Adrian College.

A first-year defenseman, Boelter had a goal and two assists on the weekend. Boelter had an assist in last Friday’s 5-5 overtime tie. He scored on the power play in the first period on Saturday, and then assisted on the game-tying goal in the 4-4 overtime tie.

Boelter’s key assist came on Saturday with the Vikings trailing by a goal with less than four minutes left. His blast from the left point was tipped into the net by Brad Scurfield to tie the game and force the overtime.

Boelter is the top-scoring defenseman in the conference at 1.13 points per game. He has five goals and 12 assists for 17 points.

Lawrence returns to action this weekend when it has a home-and-home series with the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Vikings battle to overtime tie with No. 7 Adrian

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University hockey team battled to a 4-4 overtime tie with No. 7 Adrian College on Saturday night in a Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association game at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

Lawrence (5-8-2, 4-4-2 MCHA) got the tying goal from Brandon Boelter with 3:39 left in the third period to force a second consecutive night of overtime hockey. Lawrence and Adrian played to a 5-5 tie on Friday night.

Adrian (12-1-2, 8-0-2), one of the top power-play teams in the nation, started the overtime on the man-advantage when Lawrence’s Matt Moore was called for hooking as the third period expired.

The Bulldogs, who went 2-for-5 on the power play, were stymied by Lawrence goaltender Fabian Sivnert in the overtime. Sivnert saved all eight Adrian shots on net in the overtime. Sivnert finished with 44 saves.

Lawrence also had an excellent scoring chance in the overtime when Phil Bushbacher had a free run at the net, but his shot went just wide.

Justin Basso scored with 5:03 left in the regulation to give Adrian a 4-3 lead. Kevin Balas was whistled for high sticking just 33 seconds later to put Lawrence on the power play.

Boelter made the Bulldogs pay by scoring off a blast from the left point that beat Adrian goaltender James Hamby. Hamby, who came on in relief of Scott Shackell after the first period, finished with 17 saves.

Lawrence took a 1-0 lead when Ryan Rumble scored his first collegiate goal just two minutes in the game. The Bulldogs tied it on Andrew Dovey’s goal just 43 seconds later.

Lawrence, which went 2-for-6 on the power play, made it 2-1 on Boelter’s power-play goal at the 5:58 mark of the first. Ryan Gieseler countered with a power-play goal for Adrian at 6:56. The Vikings then got a goal from Bushbacher at 7:54 and took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission.

Adrian tied it at 3-3 on Chris Leone’s goal just 1:34 into the second period.

Adrian finished the game with a 48-34 edge in shots on goal.

Box score

Lawrence settles for tie with No. 7 Adrian

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University hockey team dominated No. 7 Adrian College for two periods Friday night at the Appleton Family Ice Center, but the Vikings had to settle for a 5-5 overtime tie in a Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association game.

Lawrence (5-8-1, 4-4-1 MCHA) bolted to a 4-1 lead after the first period and led 5-1 after two periods, but the Bulldogs (12-1-1, 8-0-1) scored four times in the third period to pull out the tie.

Freshman Rudi Pino scored a pair of goals and picked up an assist for Lawrence, and freshman forward Renato Engler had three assists. Andrew Dovey scored a pair of goals for Adrian.

Lawrence trailed 1-0 when Pino scored at the 8:54 mark of the first period to tie it. William Thoren then scored just 25 seconds later to give Lawrence a 2-1 lead.

The Vikings kept up the pressure when Pino scored off a pass from Engler at the 14:30 mark to put the Vikings up 3-1. Paul Zuke then added a goal with 2:16 left in the opening period for a 4-1 Lawrence lead.

The Vikings made it 5-1 on Logan Lemirande’s power-play goal midway through the second period.

The score stayed that way until Dovey scored twice, at 7:08 and again at 9:28 of the third, to cut the lead to 5-3. Ryan Gieseler then scored on the power play, Adrian’s third power-play goal of the game in seven tries, to cut the lead to 5-4 at the 11:59 mark.

The Vikings then committed a costly turnover almost right in front of the net, and Shaquille Merasty, one of the leading scorers in the nation, picked up the loose puck. He scored to tie the game at 5-5 with 2:00 left.

Both teams managed two shots on goal in the five-minute overtime but could not score.

Fabian Sivnert made 35 saves for Lawrence, and Scott Shackell, who entered the game at the start of the second period, finished with 20 saves.

The teams wrap up the series Saturday evening at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

Box score

Inside LU Athletics: Swedes making big impact for Vikings

These Vikings are real Vikings.

The Lawrence University hockey team has taken on a Scandinavian flavor over the past few years with an influx of players from Sweden, and that can be largely attributed to assistant coach Kalle Larsson.

Larsson is a native of Gothenburg, Sweden, a former Lawrence hockey standout and a 2007 graduate of the university. Larsson has helped attract four Swedes and a fifth player with deep Swedish roots to the school.

“I’m very proud of the guys to see how much they’ve grown, but I want to give them help with their Lawrence experience,” said Larsson, who earned a degree in government from Lawrence. “I believe in Lawrence as a school and in the hockey program, and I want the Swedish guys to experience what I have.”

Lawrence’s Swedish contingent is made up of junior defenseman William Thoren (Gothenburg), sophomore forward Gustav Lindgren (Stockholm), sophomore goalie Anton Olsson (Stromstad), freshman goalie Fabian Sivnert (Hollviken) and sophomore defenseman Erik Soderlund, who lived in Sweden for eight years before returning to California.

“When we hired Coach Larsson, we were looking for him to utilize his connections in the junior hockey world to open new doors for our program,” Lawrence head coach Mike Szkodzinski said. “He has done a tremendous job doing just that and has even exceeded expectations. The best part, in our mind, is that he continues to open more doors every year for our program.”

Thoren met Larsson when he was working with Scandinavian Hockey Consulting, a firm that helps European players find junior teams and expose them to college choices in the United States.

“I would never be here if it wasn’t for Kalle,” said Thoren, an All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association selection as a freshman. “Coach Szkodzinski had never heard of me or talked to me, and Kalle told him that he has a Swedish client who is interested in coming over to play. First then, Coach started to talk to me and showed his interest.”

Thoren chose Lawrence, and the assistant coach at the time, Ryan Petersen, later left to play pro hockey in Europe. Larsson left his consulting job and came back to his alma mater as the assistant coach in 2010. In the ensuing three years, more Swedish players followed.

“I think the product we are selling is very good, but with my own experience, it makes it even easier,” said Larsson, who spent several years after graduation in the corporate world before returning to hockey. “They see that it pays off. If they want to stay and work in the U.S., I’m an example of that.”

The Swedes are unanimous in their praise of Larsson and his help in their transition to life at Lawrence.

“Kalle can you give you the biggest insight into the school,” said Sivnert, who recently joined the team after transferring from Bemidji State. “With Kalle, you can go in-depth and see what you’re getting yourself into. If you have questions, he has done it himself. He has a close bond with the school and can deal with issues. He’s an invaluable resource right now.”

That relationship has continued to grow for Thoren.

“Kalle tells us upon our arrival that if we wonder anything or need help with anything, he is there for us,” Thoren said. “It is great to have him here if you need someone to talk to or have questions. Kalle is not only an assistant coach to me, he is also a close friend. We have a great relationship outside of hockey too, so I see him as a friend as well.”

Sometimes it’s also nice to speak your native language and get a little closer to your own culture, Lindgren said. He credits Larsson and the rest of the Swedish contingent with giving him someone to lean on.

“If it wasn’t for Kalle,” said Lingren, as if pondering where his journey would have taken him. “He’s the one who came to Sweden and talked to me and my coach. He talked about Lawrence and what a great opportunity it was for an education and to play hockey. It was tough in the beginning. I would describe it as an emotional rollercoaster. I had some homesickness, and I have a girlfriend back home (big smile). This year has been better.”

The similar backgrounds and common language bonds the Swedish players, but Olsson talked about this team as a family whose roots go deeper than just nationality.

“Our squad is like a family and families do a lot of things together. For the hockey part it does not really matter what nationality it is, I believe,” said Olsson, who also plays for Larsson on the golf team where he is one of the stars. “I learned, with help from Kalle, my first year in the U.S., how coaching, style of hockey and behavior differs from Sweden.”

Olsson said having Swedish teammates on the ice doesn’t really change anything for the Vikings, but having fellow Swedes on campus has made a huge difference.

“Studying in a foreign language can be quite a challenge sometimes, and then it is good sometimes to discuss with your fellow Swedes because it helps to really grasp what you actually are doing,” Olsson said. “William has helped me a lot with the academic part, which I’m very thankful for.”

That commonality of culture and language is what helps Larsson guide these young men through the highs and lows of sports and the academic rigors of Lawrence.

“I know what they are going through in the transition, not just related to sports, but in the academic life and the cultural life,” said Larsson, who was an academic all-conference selection during his time at Lawrence. “There are things they may not know how to express in English. I do think they feel, in certain situations, more comfortable speaking with me. I’m from where they’re from.”

All-tournament picks

Both forward Brad Scurfield and goaltender Fabian Sivnert were selected to the all-tournament team at the Pathfinder Bank Oswego State Classic at the end of the year. Sivnert made 29 saves in Lawrence’s 2-1 victory over Castleton State in the tournament semifinals. Scurfield had just one assist in the two tournament games but played a monumental number of shifts for the Vikings in the two games.

Mazur scores at all-star game

Lawrence football standout Tyler Mazur scored a touchdown in the All-American Bowl, an all-star game for NCAA Division III players. Mazur had a catch and also scored in the game, which was played in the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn. The timing was perfect for Mazur, who was able to play the football game during a break in the basketball team’s schedule. Mazur is one of key players off the bench for the Lawrence basketball team.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Director of Athletic Media Relations Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

 

 

 

Big third period allows second-ranked Lakers to pull away from Lawrence

OSWEGO, N.Y. — The No. 2-ranked Oswego State University hockey team scored four times in the third period and posted a 7-2 nonconference win over Lawrence University on Monday in the championship game of the Pathfinder Bank Classic.

The host Lakers (11-2-0) were clinging to a one-goal lead entering the final period, but Oswego scored a pair of goals early in the third to pull away.

Senior forward Brad Scurfield and freshman goaltender Fabian Sivnert were both named to the all-tournament team for Lawrence (5-8-0).

Oswego State grabbed a 3-0 lead after the first period with the Lakers scoring twice on the power play in the opening 20 minutes. Lawrence battled back in the second period with a pair of goals.

Phil Bushbacher scored off a pass from Gustav Lindgren at the 7:36 mark of the second to trim the margin to 3-1. The Vikings cut the lead to 3-2 when William Thoren scored on the power play off an assist from Scurfield with 1:04 left in the second.

The Lakers then got a pair of power-play goals in the first 4:36 of the third period to pull out to a 5-2 advantage. Oswego, which went 4-for-9 on the power play, added a pair of goals in the final 5:41 to seal the win.

Sivnert made 35 saves and took the loss for the Vikings. Andrew Hare made 19 saves to pick up the win for Oswego.

Box score