WEST DUNDEE, IL – With
Isaiah Thomas setting up a trio of goals and
Teddy Lillico assisting on two, the University of Mary ground out a 5-2 win at Northern Illinois University in the first of six straight road games for the Marauders.
In the first meeting between the Marauders and the Huskies, goals proved difficult to come by in the opening period.
UMary finally broke through with just 3:08 remaining on the clock before the first intermission. Using a strong forecheck, the Marauders prevented the Huskies from clearing the puck and kept possession in the UMary offensive zone. Spotting
Lukas Robinson alone atop the right circle, Thomas slid the puck from the left side. Gathering and firing from just outside the left dot, Robinson beat Huskies goaltender Caleb Cross glove side to the top right corner for his fourth goal of the season.
A pair of goals less than a minute apart boosted the Marauders lead to 3-0 early in the second.
Nick Bradshaw used a helper from Lillico at 5:13 before
Seth Cushing found the back of the net at 6:01.
Despite a 58-18 edge in shots, the Marauders were unable to shake the Huskies. Northern Illinois pulled within two goals on a George Smith goal at 15:53.
Tanner Eskro moved the Marauders lead back to three goals with a tally with 57 seconds remaining before the second period break.
Once again NIU closed within two goals at 2:51 of the third period. Once again UMary stretched the lead to three when
Garrett Freeman scored a power play goal at 7:40 to finalize the score at 5-2.
Conan Hayton stopped 16 of the 18 shots he faced in the game for UMary. Cross had 53 stops for Northern Illinois.
The Marauders, ranked #6 in American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division 1, improves to 13-4-0-0-1 (W-L-OTL-SOW-SOL) overall and 9-1-0-0-1 in Midwest College Hockey play. The Huskies are 1-19-1-1 overall and 0-11-0-0-0 in MCH action.
The two squads wrap up the weekend series at 5 pm on Saturday, November 9.
MD1 University of Mary 5 at MD1 Northern Illinois University 2 - Status: Final
Friday, December 8, 2023 - Canlan Sports - West Dundee (IL)
MD1 University of Mary 1 3 1 - 5
MD1 Northern Illinois University 0 1 1 - 2
1st Period-1, MD1 University of Mary, Robinson 4 (Thomas, Cushing), 16:52. Penalties-served by Peters M1niu (bench minor-too many men), 6:50; Zimmerman M1niu (high sticking), 9:39; Maldonado M1niu (roughing), 18:11.
2nd Period-2, MD1 University of Mary, Bradshaw 3 (Lillico), 5:13. 3, MD1 University of Mary, Cushing 16 (Thomas, Eskro), 6:01. 4, MD1 Northern Illinois University, Smith 1 (Peters, Maldonado), 15:53 (PP). 5, MD1 University of Mary, Eskro 10 (Thomas, Lillico), 19:03 (PP). Penalties-Murray M1umy (high sticking), 12:27; Zaste M1umy (high sticking), 15:04; Eskro M1umy (roughing), 15:09; Gonzalez M1niu (roughing), 15:09; Maldonado M1niu (elbowing), 18:00.
3rd Period-6, MD1 Northern Illinois University, Porzondek 2 (Zimmerman, Smith), 2:51. 7, MD1 University of Mary, Freeman 2 (Nagurski, Dropik), 7:40 (PP). Penalties-Evans M1niu (slashing), 6:41; Porzondek M1niu (slashing), 10:09; Heitkamp M1umy (cross checking), 15:03.
Shots on Goal-MD1 University of Mary 18-17-23-58. MD1 Northern Illinois University 3-11-4-18.
Power Play Opportunities-MD1 University of Mary 2 / 6; MD1 Northern Illinois University 1 / 3.
Goalies-MD1 University of Mary, Hayton 8-2-0-0 (18 shots-16 saves). MD1 Northern Illinois University, Cross 1-9-1-1 (58 shots-53 saves).
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