A Saturday Feb. 15, game against St. Norbert was a brutal showing for the Vikings, as they were shut out in De Pere 6-0. The loss was a slow burn, through most of the game Lawrence was alive and in the position to make it a match. Only one goal, by Ben Schmidling, was scored in the first period. The second went completely scoreless; first-year goalie Brian Tallieu blocked all 13 Green Knight attempts.
The third period, however, was a nightmare for the Vikings on all fronts. They were outmatched on offense, with five goals being racked up. Four of these goals were landed in a span of just over five minutes, and the final two were power plays. Defensively, the Green Knights blocked all seven attempts on their goal, whereas Lawrence slipped badly, letting five shots in. Even in penalty terms, St. Norbert won the battle, accruing only eight minutes on four infractions as opposed to LU’s 44 minutes on 14. Eight of these penalties occurred during the five-goal spree, and the Vikings’ frustration cost them 18 minutes in the box on misconduct penalties alone.
However, the most important ramifications of this game rest in Lawrence’s very near future; with the number three spot in the NCHA North Division, they will face off a third time against number two St. Norbert in the quarterfinals. With two games under their belts versus the Green Knights, one a victory and one a loss, the Vikings can take inventory in their film and roster to examine St. Norbert’s weaknesses.
They may be in trouble, however; the reason they beat St. Norbert on Friday, Feb. 14, to begin with was senior goalie Evan Cline’s career day. He made 67 stops against the Knights, only allowing a single goal to reach the back of the net. If the Vikings’ defense continues in this fashion, the team is going to have to rely on yet another superstar goalkeeping performance to keep them in the upcoming tournament.