Hockey

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University goaltender Evan Cline earned his first career shutout Friday as the Vikings rolled to a 4-0 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Finlandia University at the Appleton Family Ice Center.

Cline stopped 16 shots and improved to 2-0-0 on the season for the Vikings (2-3-0, 2-1-0 NCHA). Lawrence posted a 33-16 edge in shots.

Lawrence got goals from four different players to pick up its second consecutive victory.

The Vikings got on the board with 5:07 left in the opening period when they took advantage of a two-man advantage. Evan Ketner scored off assists from Matt Montemurro and Austin Frank to put Lawrence up 1-0.

The Vikings quickly made it 2-0 with a goal early in the second period. Ryan Eardley popped in his own rebounds as Frank and Jake Roeper picked up assists on the tally just 1:33 into the period.

The Vikings then scored with just 46 seconds left in the second period when Blake Roubos pounced on a rebound and scored for a 3-0 edge.

Josh Koepplinger, who picked up an assist on Roubos’ goal, added an empty-netter with 1:15 remaining in the third to close out the scoring.

Alec Rounds made 29 saves and took the loss for Finlandia (0-7-0, 0-5-0).

The teams wrap up the series Saturday afternoon.

Box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University hockey team hosts Finlandia University in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association series this weekend at the Appleton Family Ice Center. Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m., and the puck drops on Saturday’s game at 4 p.m. Friday’s game also serves as a fundraiser for the Appleton Police Benevolent Association.

Preview

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University hockey team came up winners twice on Saturday.

The Vikings topped Marian University 2-1 in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game at the Appleton Family Ice Center to even the weekend Battle of Highway 41 series at a game apiece.

The Vikings and Sabres then went eight rounds in a shootout to determine who got possession of the traveling trophy, and Reed Gregory’s goal gave Lawrence (1-3-0, 1-1-0 NCHA) a 2-1 shootout victory.

Lawrence rookie goaltender Evan Cline made his collegiate debut and stole the show for the Vikings. Cline stopped 38 shots and secured the win despite Marian (1-3-0, 1-3-0) having an extra attacker on the ice for the final minute. Mike Baldwin made 20 saves and took the loss for the Sabres.

The Vikings grabbed the early 1-0 lead on Blake Roubos’ second goal of the season just 4:58 into the first period. Jake Drinkard and Josh Koepplinger both had assists for the Vikings.

Lawrence made it 2-0 with just 3:03 left in the second period when rookie Daniel Gysi scored his second goal of the season off an assist from Roubos.

Marian cut the lead in half just 1:18 into the third period when Derek Perl scored off assists from Gianni Mangone and Derek Thorogood. That was all Marian would get as Cline stopped the final 10 shots of the period from the Sabres.

Austin Frank got the shootout started for Lawrence with a goal, but Marian tied it to force extra shooters. The third extra shooter was Gregory, who beat Baldwin to bring the trophy back to Appleton.

The teams combined for 31 penalties, 18 against the Vikings and 13 against the Sabres. Marian went 0-for-10 on the power play, and Lawrence was 0-for-6.

Box score

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — A three-goal outburst in a three-minute span in the first period Friday was enough to lift Marian University to a 5-2 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association victory over Lawrence University at the Blue Line Ice Center.

The game was the opener of the Battle of Highway 41 series. Marian needs a win or tie on Saturday at the Appleton Family Ice Center to retain possession of the traveling trophy.

Lawrence (0-3-0, 0-1-0 NCHA) got on the board just 50 seconds into the game when Blake Roubos scored off assists from Jake Drinkard and Josh Koepplinger.

Marian then put together a three-goal flurry just two minutes later. Derek Thorogood then scored at the 3:08 and 4:25 marks to put the Sabres up 2-1. Braden Crone made it 3-1 with a Marian goal at the 5:10 mark.

Daniel Gysi trimmed the lead to 3-2 with his first career goal for Lawrence at the 12:12 mark. Roubos picked up the assist for the Vikings.

That was it for Lawrence as Marian added a goal in both the second and third periods to seal the victory.

Mike Gudmandson made 14 saves to pick up the win for Marian (1-2-0, 1-0-0). Mattias Soderqvist allowed all five goals and finished with 10 saves for Lawrence. Greg Procopio came on in relief and made nine saves for the Vikings.

Box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University hockey team squares off against Marian University in the annual Battle of Highway 41 series. The teams open the series Friday night at the Blue Line Ice Center in Fond du Lac, Wis., and the series wraps up with Lawrence’s home opener Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Appleton Family Ice Center. Lawrence is looking to regain possession of the Battle of Highway 41 trophy for the first time since 2011.

Preview

STEVENS POINT, Wis. — The No. 1-ranked UW-Stevens Point hockey team got a goal with 1:18 left in overtime Saturday to tip Lawrence University 3-2 in a nonconference game at Willett Arena.

Stephan Beauvais scored off a pass from Tanner Karty 3:42 into the overtime to lift the Pointers (2-0-0), the defending NCAA Division III champions.

Lawrence (0-2-0) battled back twice to tie the game to force the OT.

Jacob Barber scored just 3:43 into the game to give the Pointers the early 1-0 lead. Sean Reynolds took a pass from Mikkel Joehnk and scored at the 14:06 mark of the second to tie it at 1-1.

That didn’t last long as Beauvais scored for Stevens Point scored just 17 seconds later for a 2-1 advantage. With just 5:33 left in the third period, Matt Montemurro scored on the power play for the Vikings to tie it at 2-2.

Jesse Gordichuk made 12 saves to get the win for Stevens Point. Greg Procopio stopped 40 shots for the Vikings.

Box score

APPLETON, Wis. — When it comes to success on the ice, several things always come up as keys to victory, and the Lawrence University hockey team look to have these areas covered this season.

Quality goaltending. Check. Good special teams play. Check. Playing hard every night. Check.

“To be successful this year, we will have to be more tenacious on the puck all over the ice,” said Lawrence coach Mike Szkodzinski, who enters his 11th season at the helm of the Vikings. “We want to push the pace and force our opponents to have to make plays rather than give them time and space. If we can eliminate unnecessary turnovers, we will be a much better team all around.”

The Vikings will be tested immediately as they open the season Friday at No. 9 UW-Eau Claire and then head to defending NCAA Division III champion and No. 1-ranked UW-Stevens Point on Saturday.

Szkodzinski’s endless energy, his passion for the game and the respect he commands from the hockey community have made the Vikings a good team in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, arguably the toughest conference in the country. The Vikings have made the league playoffs in all 10 of Szkodzinski’s seasons, and the Vikings are looking for another trip to the postseason.

“We are very pleased with the fitness level of our team and the depth of our forwards,” Szkodzinski said. “We feel like we have the ability to play all four lines this year consistently, and that should help us late in games. Having a senior between the pipes who has played nearly 3,500 minutes in his career and four upperclass defensemen certainly helps as well.”

The defense revolves around senior netminder Mattias Soderqvist, who picked up nine wins a season ago while compiling an .899 save percentage and 3.59 goals against average.

“Mattias is as determined as we have seen him at any point in his career,” Szkodzinski said. “We expect big things from him. We need him to be our best player day in and day out. He knows that and has embraced it. We are confident he is up to the challenge.”

Soderqvist will get help from an experienced group of defensemen, led by senior captain Brad Mueller, senior Felix Henriksson and juniors Austin Frank and Matt Montemurro. Look for rookies Daniel Gysi and Tomas Vesely to make an impact among the defensemen as well.

The Vikings continually improved on the penalty kill last season after getting off to a rough start and finished the season at 78.1 percent.

On the flip side, it’s been scoring by committee the last few seasons, but the Vikings return a talented group of young forwards. Lawrence also gets a boost from the return of junior forward Blake Roubos, who piled up 40 points in his first two seasons before missing last season due to injury.

“Having Blake Roubos back this year is a big boost for our offense,” Szkodzinski said. “Josh Koepplinger, Lane King and Nick Felan have come back in tremendous shape and should also add more punch to our lineup after strong freshman seasons. There are others who will cause trouble at the net front for our opponents.”

Koepplinger led the team with 10 goals last season, Felan was second on the team with 20 points and King was tied for fourth on the squad with 15 points.

“We think we are as deep up front as we have been in a long time,” Szkodzinski said. “Hopefully that will translate into more pucks in the net.”

Add newcomers like Matt Beranek, Carson Knop, Evan Ketner and brothers Justin and Reed Gregory, and the Vikings have some real firepower.

As good as the Vikings think they could be, they face a murder’s row of a schedule where more than half of the opponents are ranked or got votes in the preseason poll to start the season.

“It sounds cliché, but anyone in the NCHA can win on any night,” Szkodzinski said. “We are excited to face the best teams in the country again this year. Our players thrive on the challenge of being in one of the toughest conferences in the nation.”

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The ninth-ranked UW-Eau Claire hockey team scored four goals in the final 6:27 of the first period Friday to take command and went on to an 8-1 nonconference win over Lawrence University in the season opener for both teams.

Mac Jansen had two goals and two assists for the Blugolds, who had just a 28-23 edge in shots.

After the Vikings failed to cash in on a two-man advantage midway through the first period, the Blugolds struck first on the power play. Jansen scored on the man-advantage at the 13:33 mark for a 1-0 edge. Eau Claire went 3-for-5 on the power play, and the Vikings were 0-for-8.

Garrett Clemment made it 2-0 with a goal at the 15:02 mark, and Todd Koritzinsky scored just 1:06 later for a 3-0 edge. Colton Wolter capped the outburst with a goal at the 18:18 mark.

The Blugolds added two goals in the first 11 minutes of the second period before Lawrence got on the board. The Vikings’ Nick Felan scored off an assist from Lane King at the 13:17 mark.

Jay Deo made 22 saves to pick up the win for Eau Claire. Mattias Soderqvist made 13 saves for the Vikings before exiting midway through the second period. Greg Procopio made seven saves in relief.

Lawrence is back in action on Saturday when the Vikings travel to No. 1 UW-Stevens Point.

Box score