Lawrence University Hockey
continues to struggle as it heads
into the MCHA playoffs this
upcoming weekend. Despite having
numerous opportunities to
win both games this past weekend
against Finlandia University, the
Vikings came out of the doubleheader
with an overtime loss and
a tie.
In the first game of the weekend,
Lawrence fought back from a
two-goal deficit in the final period
to force overtime, but the Lions
scored barely one minute into
overtime to notch the victory.
The Vikings trailed 2-0 in
the first period, but Matt Hughes
scored late in the period to cut the
lead in half. Lawrence then fell two
goals behind again in the second
period before Ben DiMarco scored
early in the third period to make it
a 3-2 game.
Finlandia regained their twogoal
lead just a few minutes later,
but Lawrence countered for a third
time behind two shorthanded
goals. Scott Minarcik scored on a
pass from Marc Howe to cut the
lead to 4-3, and then Howe put one
home himself to tie the game with
just a minute remaining.
Howe’s goal was his 18th of
the season, which ties him for the
all-time record of goals scored in a
season at Lawrence.
Despite having the momentum
going into the overtime period,
Finlandia scored just a minute in,
giving the Vikings their 10th loss
in the their last 11 games.
In the second game of the double
header, the two teams again
needed an extra period. This time,
neither team could come out victorious,
and the two teams skated
to a tie.
Lawrence took the lead on a
goal by Gustav Ahlberg early in the
second period, but Finlandia tied
it later in the period on a powerplay
goal.
Ahlberg scored once again less
than a minute later to give the
Vikings back the lead. Lawrence
held onto the one-goal lead nearly
long enough, but the Lions scored
with less than five minutes to play,
tying the game.
A couple of late penalties
against the Vikings gave the Lions
chances to win, but they could
not convert. Lawrence outshot
Finlandia 4-3 in overtime, but neither
team could find the back of
the net.
Lawrence (8-15-2, 7-11-2
MCHA) begins postseason play
next weekend with a pair of quarterfinal
games against Northland
College (5-19-1, 5-14-1 MCHA.)
Hockey loses, ties in final games of regular season
