Notables-CSS out-shot Adrian 39-38-CSS loses fourth game this season when leading after two periods-Saints fall to 1-6-8 in their last 15 overtime games-Saints defeated Adrian 4-3 in last year's Harris Cup Semifinals-Adrian is ranked #3 in USCHO.com poll and #1 in D3hockey.com poll -Adrian has a Division III-best 10-game winning streak
ADRIAN, Mich. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's hockey team never trailed until Kyle Brothers buried a power-play goal nine minutes and 23 seconds into overtime to give No. 3 Adrian College (Mich.) a 4-3 victory in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) Harris Cup Semifinals Saturday night and end the Saints' season.
The Saints controlled play in the first 20 minutes and it started on the opening shift when
Dave Williams (Okotoks, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Waywayseecappo-MJHL) ) gave CSS an early 1-0 lead 23 seconds into the contest.
Keegan Bruce (Bellingham, Wash./Bellingham HS (Weyburn-SJHL) ) had the assist. St. Scholastica out-shot the Bulldogs 17-7 after one period and maintained that 1-0 lead.
Adrian would tie it up with less than four minutes remaining in the second period when Brothers netted his first power-play goal of the evening. The Saints responded with under a minute left in the period on a
Michael Spring (Kelowna, British Columbia/Okanagan Mission (Chilliwack-BCHL) ) goal to give the Saints a 2-1 lead at the second intermission.
Derek Sutliffe (Las Vegas, Nev./Odyssey Charter School (Langley Rivermen-BCHL) ) and
Brandon Parrone (Peoria, Ariz./Brophy College Prep (Melfort-SJHL) ) were credited with the assists.
It remained 2-1 until
Dylan Nowakowski (Calgary, Alberta/Centennial HS (Brooks-AJHL) ) gave the Saints a 3-1 lead with 6:29 remaining in the third period.
Luke Simpson (Canmore, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Canmore-AJHL) ) assisted the goal. However, that two-goal lead was short-lived as Duston Hebebrand cut it to 3-2 just 11 seconds later.
Adrian (22-3-3) would be forced to pull the goaltender with over a minute and 20 seconds to play. After the Saints were unable to clear the puck, Mathew Thompson scored the equalizer with 35 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, the Saints committed a tripping penalty with 11:39 on the clock. Adrian made the Saints pay for the penalty and it was Brothers again with the game-winner to send the Bulldogs into the Harris Cup Championship game with a 4-3 victory.
Tyler Bruggeman (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS (Austin-NAHL) ) had 34 saves loss, while Scott Shackell stopped 36 shots to earn the victory for Adrian. CSS was 0-for-3 on the power-play and Adrian was 2-for-5.
The Saints finish their season 12-13-3 and will see the departure of four seniors:
Connor Lucas (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS ),
Matt Malenstyn (Surrey, British Columbia/Tamanawis Secondary (Waywayseecappo-MJHL) ),
Derek Hills (Campbell River, British Columbia/Timberline Secondary (Bowling Green State) ) and
Dave Williams (Okotoks, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Waywayseecappo-MJHL) ).
For future news about the St. Scholastica men's hockey program, keep following csssaints.com.
