Schedule
Top seed Adrian takes on Marian at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time Saturday in one semifinal. No. 2 seed Lawrence faces MSOE at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time in the other semifinal. The winners meet in the championship game Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Website
For links to live stats and webcasts, go to:
http://adrianbulldogs.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/mchatournament09.html.
The Coaches
Mike Szkodzinski (St. Norbert 2000) is in his third season at Lawrence and has a record of 39-38-6 (.506). Ron Fogarty (Colgate 1995) is in his second season at Adrian and has a record of 51-4-1 (.920). Jasen Wise (St. Thomas) is in his fifth season at Marian and has a record of 67-63-10 (.514). Mark Ostapina (Wisconsin 1979) is in his eighth season at MSOE and has a record of 113-96-8 (.539). He is in his 23rd season overall and has a recod of 176-180-16 (.495).
The Series
MSOE leads the series with Lawrence 37-19-2. Adrian has a 4-0-0 lead in its series with the Vikings, and Marian has a 36-12-4 edge in its series with Lawrence.
Last Meeting
Lawrence and MSOE haven't played since a home-and-home series back on Nov. 14-15.
MSOE scored a goal in the final seconds of regulation to tie it and then got the game-winner in overtime in a 2-1 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association victory in the series opener.
Lawrence took a 1-0 lead with only 4:41 left in the game on Scott Minarcik's first goal of the season.
That lead held up until Simon Labrosse-Gelinas, fresh out of the penalty box, scored with an extra attacker on the ice with only five seconds left in regulation.
Steve Smiddy then won it for the Raiders with a goal with 1:06 left in overtime.
Evan Johnson made 28 saves for Lawrence and took the loss. Connor Toomey made 24 saves for the Raiders and got the win.
Ben DiMarco scored with eight seconds left in regulation to lift Lawrence to a 1-0 victory on Nov. 15.
The freshman forward from Galveston, Texas, picked up a MSOE turnover in the neutral zone and beat Toomey for the game's only goal on a breakaway.
Lawrence had to kill off three penalties in the third period before DiMarco delivered the game-winner. MSOE was 0-for-6 on the power play on the evening, and the Vikings were 0-for-4.
The Vikings got a stellar performance from Johnson, who stopped 30 shots for his second career shutout and first of the season. Toomey made 27 saves for the Raiders.
Last Series
Lawrence swept the MCHA quarterfinal playoff series from Concordia (Wis.) at the Appleton Family Ice Center last weekend.
Lawrence posted its eighth shutout of the season as the Vikings beat Concordia 4-0 in the opening game.
Sophomore goaltender Evan Johnson made 17 saves to collect his seventh shutout of the season, which leads the nation.
After a scoreless first period, both teams were a man down when Matt Hughes scored off a pass from Jameson Raymond at 7:57 to give Lawrence a 1-0 lead. The Vikings then had a two-man advantage when Josh DeSmit scored at 11:02 to give Lawrence a 2-0 edge.
The Vikings then pulled away early in the third period. Nick Jennette picked up his 12th goal of the season at 2:54 of the third to give Lawrence a 3-0 lead. Aaron LaFave then got his first goal of the season at 5:48 and Lawrence led 4-0.
Eric Everson made 33 saves and took the loss.
Jennette scored two goals, tied one school record, topped the 100-point plateau, and broke a NCAA record as Lawrence beat Concordia 5-3 Saturday to complete the series sweep.
Jennette got his 100th point in the first period when he assisted on Marc Howe's goal at 13:00 that put Lawrence up 1-0. Jennette made it 2-0 when he scored off an assist from Howe just 18 seconds into the second period.
Concordia cut the lead in half when Alec Michael Kautzman scored at the 2:54 mark. Lawrence countered on Jon Bellotti's goal at 9:08 to go up 3-1.
The Vikings made it 4-0 when Jon Sacks stuffed a rebound past Everson at the 2:00 mark. Concordia fought back as Jari Sanders and Sam Aide both scored power-play goals to trim the lead to 4-3 with 10:30 left.
Jennette then sealed the win and tied the record for career goals with an empty-net goal with just two seconds left.
Johnson made 19 saves to pick up the victory
This Season
When leading after one period, Lawrence is 9-2-0.
When leading after two periods, Lawrence is 13-0-0.
When trailing after one period, Lawrence is 1-6-1.
When trailing after two periods, Lawrence is 2-8-0.
When tied after one period, Lawrence is 6-2-0.
When tied after two periods, Lawrence is 1-2-1.
In overtime games, Lawrence is 1-2-1.
Vikings Update
Lawrence is back in the Harris Cup semifinals after missing out last season. Lawrence reached the semifinals every year from 2001 to 2007, but the Vikings have never won the semifinal game. The closest Lawrence came to reaching the finals was 2005, when the semifinals consisted of a two-game series. Lawrence split the series with Minnesota-Crookston but lost the mini-game 1-0 in overtime.
Senior forward Nick Jennette had an eventful game in the series finale with Concordia last Saturday. Jennette scored two goals to tie the Lawrence career record of 48, set by Mike Burkhart from 2001-05. Jenette had three points and topped the became only the second player in school history to top the 100-point plateau. He has 102 points, one shy of tying Ryan Blick's career record of 103, set from 2001-05. Jennette was also playing in his 110th consecutive game, breaking the NCAA record of 109 held by Garrett Strot of Bethel (Minn.). Jennette leads the Vikings with 14 goals, 13 assists, and 27 points.
Sophomore goaltender Evan Johnson posted a shutout against Concordia last Friday and continues to lead the nation with seven. Steve Bounds of St. Scholastica is second with six. Johnson had two victories over the weekend to push his season total to 13, which breaks the record of 12 he held with Andrew Isaac. With his .920 save percentage and 2.07 goals against average, Johnson is on pace to shatter the season records of .912 (Andrew Isaac, 2004-05) and 2.80 (Brian Harrison, 1997-98).
Lawrence got a boost last weekend when two forwards returned to action. Junior Masa Takahashi returned from a two-game hiatus, and sophomore Scott Minarcik returned after missing five games. The two players combined for three points in the series with Concordia.
The Lawrence defense has been stellar this season, and the Vikings will shatter several team records because of that. The Vikings will obliterate the season record for fewest goals allowed, which stands at 95. Lawrence has allowed only 65 goals this season. The Vikings have allowed only 23 power-play goals, and the record is 26. The record for scoring defense is at 3.3, and the Vikings are currently allowing 2.4 goals per contest. Lawrence's eight shutouts this season also sweeps away the old record of two.
Bulldogs Update
Adrian is currently ranked ninth in the USCHO.com poll, but the Bulldogs are not ranked in the NCAA Division III West Region poll. The region poll lists the top seven teams in the region based on statistical criteria and has UW-Superior, St. Scholastica, UW-Stout, St. Norbert, St. Olaf, Gustavus Adolphus, and UW-Stevens Point as its ranked teams.
Adrian has the longest unbeaten streak in the nation at 24 games.
Sophomore forward Shawn Skelly is the nation's most prolific scorer. He leads the nation in goals per game at 1.15 and points per game at 2.38. He ranks third in assists per game at 1.23. Skelly has 30 goals and 32 assists for 62 points.
Adrian ranks first in the nation in scoring offense at 6.44 goals per game and second in scoring defense at 1.67 goals per game.
Raiders Update
MSOE had to go to the dreaded mini-game to survive its quarterfinal playoff series with Minnesota-Crookston. The Golden Eagles won the series opener 4-1 before MSOE rebounded to win the second game 2-1. The Raiders then won the mini-game 2-1 in overtime.
Junior forward Steve Smiddy paces the Raiders with 27 points but doesn't lead the team in either goals or assists. Brock King has a team-high 11 goals, and Jason Woll paces the team with 21 assists.
One of MSOE's top players, Michael Soik, returned for the playoffs after missing three games. Soik, who has played in only 15 of MSOE's 27 games this season, has six goals and eight assists for 14 points.
Freshman Connor Toomey has had a great season in goal for MSOE. Soik, who has two shutouts, has a .911 save percentage and 2.55 goals against average.
Sabres Update
Marian won by the scores of 5-3 and 4-3 to sweep its MCHA quarterfinal playoff series from Finlandia last weekend. In the series opener, the game featured a short-handed goal by Marian's Justin Cormier and a penalty shot by Finlandia's James Neitsch.
Marian has 10 short-handed goals this season, and sophomore forward Todd Collins is second in the nation with four.
Freshman forward Adam Freeman leads the Sabres with 23 points, and he has a team-high 13 goals. Junior forward Jason Ford has a team-high 13 assists.
Senior goaltender Jason Jadczak has been stellar in goal with a 2.74 goals against average and .907 save percentage.
Links
MCHA Standings
Lawrence Statistics
mchahockey.com
collegehockeystats.net
USCHO.com Division III Poll
2008-09 Lawrence University Schedule/Results
DATE OPPONENT TIME/GAME RECAP Oct. 17 Soo Thunderbirds (exhibition) W, 3-0 Box score Oct. 28 St. Norbert L, 8-1 Box score Nov. 7 Adrian L, 5-0 Box score Nov. 8 Adrian L, 9-1 Box score Nov. 14 at MSOE L, 2-1 (OT) Box score Nov. 15 MSOE W, 1-0 Box score Nov. 21 Minnesota-Crookston W, 5-0 Box score Nov. 22 Minnesota-Crookston W, 8-0 Box score Nov. 25 at Lake Forest L, 5-1 Box score Nov. 28-29 Thanksgiving Weekend Showcase at St. Norbert Nov. 28 vs. St. Scholastica L, 4-3 (OT) Box score Nov. 29 vs. St. Norbert L, 4-0 Box score Dec. 5 at Northland W, 5-0 Box score Dec. 6 at Northland W, 7-1 Box score Jan. 9 at Finlandia W, 3-1 Box score Jan. 10 at Finlandia W, 3-2 (OT) Box score Jan. 16 Concordia (Wis.) W, 5-3 Box score Jan. 17 at Concordia (Wis.) W, 6-3 Box score Jan. 19 at Bethel (Minn.) L, 4-1 Box score Jan. 23 Marian L, 2-0 Box score Jan. 24 at Marian T, 1-1 (OT) Box score Jan. 30 at Minnesota-Crookston W, 2-0 Box score Jan. 31 at Minnesota-Crookston W, 5-4 Box score Feb. 6 Northland W, 3-0 Box score Feb. 7 Northland W, 4-0 Box score Feb. 13 Finlandia L, 3-2 Box score Feb. 14 Finlandia W, 2-1 Box score Feb. 20-21 MCHA Playoffs at Appleton Family Ice Center Feb. 20 Concordia (Wis.) W, 4-0 Box score Feb. 21 Concordia (Wis.) W, 5-3 Box score Feb. 28- MCHA Harris Cup Championship at Adrian March 1 Feb. 28 vs. MSOE 7:00 p.m. (Eastern time) March 1 Championship Game 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time) Note: To read a game story, simply click on the score.
