MANDAN, ND – A bevy of big hits and big goals carried the University of Mary hockey team into the semifinals of the American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division 2 national tournament. The host team and the top seed, the Marauders rolled past the North Carolina State University Icepack 5-1 in a battle of unbeatens on the final day of pool play as five different UMary skaters scored in the game.
The Marauders next play Monday, April 19, in the ACHA M2 semifinals. Game time is 6 pm at the Starion Sports Complex Schwan Cadillac Rink. UMary will face Liberty University. In four meetings between the two teams this season the Marauders have beaten the Flames twice and skated to a draw in the other two contests.
The other semifinal game features Iowa State University against Lindenwood University as all four #1 seeds advance out of pool play.
Johnny Witzke started the scoring for the Marauders. The All-American defenseman scored off a wrister from just inside the blue line on a power play opportunity for UMary at 10:33 of the first period.
With the opening stanza drawing to a close,
Seth Cushing scored with 61 second remaining in the first period to send the Marauders into intermission leading 2-0. Following up on his initial shot from the left circle, Cushing buried his own rebound for his third goal of the tournament.
The Marauders grew their lead to 3-0 early in the second when
Tanner Eskro scored just 3:12 into the period, blasting a shot from the left dot.
Just 64 seconds later, the Icepack finally scored on All-American
Kyle Hayden on a breakaway by Alex Robinson.
Refusing to let North Carolina State back into the game,
Alex Flicek scored at 10:53 to push UMary's lead back to three goals at 4-1.
Hayden and the Marauders specialty units then took center stage. In the span of just over three minutes UMary was assessed a pair of 5-minute majors and skated one to two skaters down for over seven straight minutes. UMary held firm and kept North Carolina State from scoring.
Riley Scanlon sealed the scoring early in the third period, finding the net at 3:02 to increase the Marauders advantage to 5-1.
Witzke paced the Marauders offense with a goal and two assists. Flicek and Scanlon both had a goal and an assist.
Hayden ended the game with 25 saves, including 10 in the pivotal second period. Eric Daniel posted 36 saves for NC State.
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