Notables
-Hat Tricks in back-to-back games for the first time in CSS program history
-Second NCHA series sweep of the season
-Shots: CSS-44, Finlandia-12
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – For the second straight day a St. Scholastica men's hockey player registered a hat trick as freshman forward
Brett Radford (Campbell River, British Columbia/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Canmore-AJHL)) did the honors Saturday evening as the Saints completed the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) series sweep of Finlandia University (Mich.) by a final of 5-3.
Even after One
The first goal of the game came at the seven minute mark as Radford scored his first of the contest on the power-play to give the Saints the 1-0 lead.
Mark Whiteley (Surrey, British Columbia/Holy Cross HS (Marian University)) and
Josh Hansen (Chilliwack, British Columbia/Unity Christian School (Chilliwack-BCHL) ) had the assists.
Less than three minutes later, the Lions knotted it up with a Daniel Sarnecki even-strength goal to make it 1-1 at the first intermission. The Saints had a 17-5 advantage in shots.
Penalty-Filled Second Period
The second period featured nine total penalties for 18 minutes. The Saints quickly took a 2-1 lead only 75 seconds into the second period as Radford again found the net.
Derek Sutliffe (Las Vegas, Nev./Odyssey Charter School (Langley Rivermen-BCHL) ) and
Connor Faupel (Rochester, Minn./Rochester Century HS (UW-Superior)) were credited with the assists.
St. Scholastica then earned back-to-back penalties four minutes apart. The Saints killed off the first Finlandia power-play, but the Lions took advantage of the second one to tie it once again at 2-2 with less than six minutes remaining in the period.
Only 76 seconds later, the Saints regained the lead on a
Kale Derkson (Regina, Saskatchewan/Sheldon Williams Collegiate/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Notre Dame-SJHL)) goal with an assist from
Sam Williams (Winnipeg, Manitoba/River East Collegiate (Melville-SJHL) ) to make it 3-2. CSS added another goal with less than two minutes left in the second period on a Sutliffe tally on the power-play to make it 4-2 at the second intermission.
Davis Ross (Fort Frances, Ontario/Fort Frances HS (Fort Frances-SIJHL)) and
Kyle Star (Langley, British, Columbia/Brookswood (Trail Smoke-BCHL)) had the assists.
Radford Completes the Hat Trick
After Star hit the pipe for the Saints, Radford put in his third goal of the game four minutes and 20 seconds into the third period to make the score 5-2 St. Scholastica.
Cole Golka (Ardrossan, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Dryden Ice Dogs-SIJHL)) and Derkson had the assists.
Finlandia scored three minutes later to make it a 5-3 game, but the Lions would not get another shot on net the rest of the game as the Saints went on to win 5-3.
Goaltending
Peter Megariotis (Anaheim Hills, Calif./Canyon HS (Adrian)) had to make only nine saves to earn the victory. Walker Enstad had 39 saves for the Lions (0-15-0, 0-10-0 NCHA).
Up Next
The Saints (7-6-0, 5-3-0 NCHA) will travel to Milwaukee next weekend for a two-game NCHA series against the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). Friday night's puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
