MANDAN, ND – Playing in front of a sold-out rink to open the home schedule on Homecoming weekend, the University of Mary hockey team rallied past the University of Minnesota 6-4 in American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Men's D2 play.
The Marauders first game on their home ice since winning their first ACHA title last April, UMary opened the night with the unveiling of the 2021 championship banner to ratchet up the excitement early. And the excitement didn't fade until well after the final horn sounded on the Marauders fourth straight win to open the season.
The Gophers took advantage of some defensive miscues midway through the first period and jumped out to a 2-0 lead less than 12 minutes into the first meeting between the two programs.
Johnny Witzke tallied a power play goal less than a minute after the second Minnesota tally to get the UMary fans on their feet and the Marauders back in the game.
The Gophers found their way onto the scoreboard one more time before the end of the period, scoring with 1:59 left to take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.
Reigning ACHA Player of the Year
Zach Garrett gave the Marauders a spark right out of the chute to open the second period, converting a power play opportunity 27 seconds into the second period to pull UMary within a single goal.
Neither team could find the net until less than 5 minutes remained in the second. After Bryar Flanders increased the Minnesota lead to 4-2, UMary stunned the Gophers with a pair of back to back goals before the stanza ended.
Kyler Moore knocked in his 3
rd goal of the year at 17:05 before
Marcus Kopp followed 25 seconds later with the equalizer.
The Marauders owned the third period. Already holding a hefty advantage in shots, UMary took its first lead of the day when Moore struck paydirt for the second time in the game, taking advantage of helpers from Witzke and
Alex Flicek at 12:24.
Seth Cushing salted the game away with his first goal of the season at 14:23. With the Marauders on the power play, Cushing skated behind the net, scooped the puck up on the blade of his stick and flicked the puck into the top of the net.
The Marauders held a massive 43-16 edge in shots and converted 3-of-6 power play opportunities. The Gophers only had one power play opportunity.
Moore led the Marauders with a pair of goals while Witzke had a goal and two assists.
Andrew Heckaman and Flicek also had two assists. Garrett also had two points with a goal and an assist.
Jack Kliminger had a goal and an assist for Minnesota and Shane Griffin had two assists.
The Marauders close out homecoming with a 2 pm game against the Gophers at the Schwan Cadillac Rink Starion Sports Complex in Mandan, ND.
M2 University of Minnesota 4 at M2 University of Mary 6 - Status: Final
Saturday, October 9, 2021 - Starion Sports Complex
M2 University of Minnesota 3 1 0 - 4
M2 University of Mary 1 3 2 - 6
1st Period-1, M2 University of Minnesota, Kvaal 2 (Kimlinger), 8:36. 2, M2 University of Minnesota, Kimlinger 2 11:49. 3, M2 University of Mary, Witzke 2 (Heckaman, Hayden), 12:44 (PP). 4, M2 University of Minnesota, Boll 4 (Griffin), 18:01. Penalties-Flanders Uminn (tripping), 12:44; Kwasny Uminn (tripping), 18:40.
2nd Period-5, M2 University of Mary, Garrett 2 (Witzke, Heckaman), 0:27 (PP). 6, M2 University of Minnesota, Flanders 3 (Griffin), 15:15. 7, M2 University of Mary, Moore 3 (Garrett, Flicek), 17:05. 8, M2 University of Mary, Kopp 1 (Ohnstad, Lenertz), 17:30. Penalties-Kvaal Uminn (roughing), 19:01; Moore Umary (roughing), 19:01.
3rd Period-9, M2 University of Mary, Moore 4 (Witzke, Flicek), 12:24. 10, M2 University of Mary, Cushing 1 14:23 (PP). Penalties-Lillico Umary (boarding), 2:29; Kimlinger Uminn (tripping), 4:36; Kopka Uminn (roughing), 10:18; Weiner Uminn (hooking), 12:32; Kvaal Uminn (roughing, major-check/behind), 17:38; Heckaman Umary (major-roughing), 17:38.
Shots on Goal-M2 University of Minnesota 5-5-6-16. M2 University of Mary 20-11-12-43.
Power Play Opportunities-M2 University of Minnesota 0 / 1; M2 University of Mary 3 / 6.
Goalies-M2 University of Minnesota, Kvaal 1-1-0-0 (43 shots-37 saves). M2 University of Mary, Hayden 4-0-0-0 (16 shots-12 saves).
A-1,150
