BOTTINEAU, ND – A furious rally in the final two minutes of play carried the visiting University of Mary to a 6-5 win over Dakota College at Bottineau. Down a goal with time running out, Seth Cushing and Johnny Witzke both scored power play goals in the last 100 seconds to give the Marauders the victory and a weekend sweep over the Lumberjacks in ACHA hockey.
 
In a game featuring five lead changes, the Lumberjacks scored the first two goals of the third period, taking a 5-4 lead on a Ryan Patterson goal with 3:32 remaining in the game.
 
With UMary's prospects of claiming a weekend sweep dimming, the Marauders earned a power play with a little more than three minutes left in the final period of play. Already a skater up, the Marauders pulled their goalkeeper to flood the offensive zone. The move paid off as Cushing dashed onto the ice and found some open space in the left circle. Left alone, Cushing took a pass from Jaren Hugelen, collected the puck and fired a backhander past Lumberjack goalie Matt Trulsen to knot the game with 1:40 showing on the clock.
 
Just seven seconds later, the Lumberjacks were again whistled for a penalty, their fifth of the game and second of the third period.
 
With two power play goals already in the books on the night for UMary, the Marauders once made sure to take advantage of the extra skater. Standing just inside the blue line in the final minute of play, Witzke gathered a pass and blistered home a long slapshot with 54.3 seconds remaining to complete the Marauders stunning rally.
 
The high-octane contest opened with a Dakota College goal at 3:33. UMary evened the game less than two minutes before intermission when team captain Zach Garret scored his 50^th career goal with the Marauders. Garrett started his ACHA career with Dakota College.
 
The Lumberjacks regained their lead with a pair of goals in the first three minutes of the second period. The Marauders forged ahead on the strength of three goals as Witzke, Riley Scanlon and Cushing all found the net to give UMary a 4-3 lead to set up a wild third period.  
 
Witzke and Cushing both finished the night with two goals and one assist. Hugelen, Andrew Heckaman, Drew Lenertz and Alex Flicek all contributed a pair of assists.
 
The Marauders improve to 13-1-2-1. The Lumberjacks slip to 0-3-0-1.
 
UMary returns to the ice with a home-and-away weekend series with the University of Jamestown on Dec. 12-13. The two-game set opens on Saturday, Dec. 5, when the puck drops at 5 pm at the Starion Sports Complex Schwan Cadillac Rink.  
 
FINAL University of Mary 6 Dakota College at Bottineau 5
 
Dakota College at Bottineau                 1          2          2          - 5
University of Mary                                 1          3          2          - 6
 
First Period 
1. DC, Zane MacDonald (Riley Olson) 3:33. 2. UMary, Zach Garrett (Jaren Hugelen, Johnny Witzke), 18:11.   
 
Second Period
3. DC, Olson (MacDonald, Geoff Dick), 1:17. 4. DC, Olson (Dick), 2:30. 5. UMary, Witzke (Andrew Heckaman, Drew Lenertz), 9:11. 6. UMary, Riley Scanlon (Kyler Moore, Drew Lenertz) ppg, 12:34. 7. UMary, Seth Cushing (Alex Flicek), 14:18.  
 
Third Period
8. DC, Tyson Pringle (Nick Vercaigne), 5:51. 9. DC, Ryan Patterson, 16:28. 10. UMary, Cushing (Hugelen, Andrew Heckaman), ppg, 18:20. 11. UMary, Witzke (Cushing, Flicek), ppg, 19:06.
 
Shots on Goal: DC 10-15-11 36. UMary 11-14-15 40.
 
Penalties: UMary 3 for 6 minutes. DC 5 for 10 minutes.
 
Power play opportunities: UMary 3 for 4. DC 0 for 2.
 
Goalies: DC Matt Trulsen (40 shots – 34 saves). UMary Kyle Hayden (36 shots – 31 saves).
 
T: 2:12
 
#marauders#