The Lawrence University men’s hockey team traveled to Minnesota over the weekend and picked up a pair of conference victories over the University of Minnesota-Crookston. Lawrence (11-9-1, 11-4-1 MCHA) won all four games against Crookston (3-18-0, 3-13-0) this year, allowing only four goals while scoring 20 of their own.
In the first game, Viking goalie Evan Johnson posted a shutout, his fifth of the season, and made 20 saves.
The Lawrence freshman class accounted for both goals for the Vikings as Lawrence won 2-0. Jameson Raymond and Jon Bellotti scored the goals for Lawrence, with Marc Howe, Sam Johnson and Ben DiMarco picking up assists. It marked the third straight game that Lawrence shut out Crookston.
The second game had more action and scoring as Crookston picked up their first goals against Lawrence all season. Lawrence held a commanding lead for most of the game, but Crookston added a pair of late goals to trim the margin and put some pressure on the Vikings.
Lawrence scored three goals in the first period. Bellotti scored his second goal in as many games and Nick Jennette and Corey Garrett also added goals before the first intermission. Crookston finally got the puck past Johnson late in the second period to cut the lead to 3-1.
Lawrence would rebound as Matt Hughes scored with a minute left in the second period to build on Lawrence’s lead. The third period opened with another Crookston goal to trim the Lawrence lead, but the Vikings responded once again with a power-play goal by Raymond, his second of the series as well.
With a three-goal lead the game appeared in hand for the Vikings, but a flurry of goals by Crookston put the game in danger in the last minute of the third period. Nigel Smith carded a hat trick for Crookston, but Lawrence was able to hang on for the final minute and secure the victory, 5-4. Backup goalie Jim Ryan picked up the victory for Lawrence.
The Vikings play at home against Northland in a weekend series Feb. 6 and 7. Lawrence is currently in second place in the MCHA, while Northland is in last with an overall record of 1-19-1.
Hockey sweeps Crookston
