MINI-GAME BOX SCORE
Notables-Derek Hills (Campbell River, British Columbia/Timberline Secondary (Bowling Green State) ) scored the mini-game winning goal with 3:28 to go in the game.-CSS had six players record a point in the game two loss-This marks the fourth straight year that the Saints have reached the NCHA semifinal game and the eighth time in the last nine years
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's hockey team advanced to the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) Harris Cup semifinals by defeating No. 15 Lake Forest College 1-0 in a mini game after losing game two of the series 3-2 on Sunday.
There was just one goal scored in the first period of game two. Unfortunately it would go in the favor of Lake Forest when they beat goaltender
Tyler Bruggeman (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS (Austin-NAHL) ) while on a power play to take a 1-0 lead into the second period.
In the second period,
Luke Simpson (Canmore, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Canmore-AJHL) ) and
Matt Malenstyn (Surrey, British Columbia/Tamanawis Secondary (Waywayseecappo-MJHL) ) would each notch goals just 1:22 apart from each other to spring CSS to a 2-1 lead. Simpson's goal was scored at with just 4:59 to go in the period on assists by
Steven Phee (Balzac, Alberta/George McDougall HS (Canmore-AJHL) ) and
Dylan Nowakowski (Calgary, Alberta/Centennial HS (Brooks-AJHL) ) to tie the game at 1-1. His goal was swiftly followed by Malenstyn, who scored his goal with 3:37 left in the second period on assists by
Michael Spring (Kelowna, British Columbia/Okanagan Mission (Chilliwack-BCHL) ) and
Derek Sutliffe (Las Vegas, Nev./Odyssey Charter School (Langley Rivermen-BCHL) ),
Lake Forest would also get a late goal of their own in the second period with just 1:13 to go to tie the game at two goals apiece which left the third period to decide the winner.
In the third period, Lake Forest would take a 3-2 lead with just under 12 minutes to go in the game on an even strength goal.
CSS tried to gain a last second goal at the end of the game by pulling Bruggeman, but it led to no avail as Lake Forest defeated CSS in game two on the NCHA quarterfinals by a final score of 3-2.
Because the Saints defeated Lake Forest in game one of the quarterfinal series, a 20 minute mini-game was required to decide who would advance to the semifinals.
Defense was prominent in the mini-game as both teams were held scoreless throughout most of the time. It was not until there was just 3:28 remaining that
Derek Hills (Campbell River, British Columbia/Timberline Secondary (Bowling Green State) ) picked off a Forester pass and netted a goal past Lake Forest goalie Leo Podolsky to give the Saints a 1-0 lead.
The Saints would play stellar defense with some help from Bruggeman as they shutout Lake Forest over the last 3:28 to win the mini-game and advance to the NCHA semifinals for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.
CSS will next play at regular season champion Adrian College (Mich.) this Saturday in the NCHA Harris Cup Semifinals with the winner advancing to the NCHA championship game which is to be played on March 7.
