The Lions had a busy weekend as they concluded regular season play with three wins Friday and Saturday, and then won another two roller hockey games on Sunday to capture their fourth Great Plains Regional Championship in a row.
Lindenwood played two games on Friday beginning with a 4-2 win over St. Charles Community College at Queeny Park in Manchester, Mo. Kevin Dwyer started at goal and stopped 28 of 29 shots to earn the win. Defenseman Daniel Inouye and forward Adam Aitken scored a goal each for the Lions and Mike Inouye helped the cause with an assist.
In the second game of the evening, Lindenwood topped the University of Missouri –St. Louis (UMSL) 9-6. Forward Casey Escarcega led the Lions with three goals while Daniel Inouye added a goal and two assists. Starting goalie
Brett Humes stopped 26 of the 32 shots he faced.
Lindenwood again matched up against St. Charles Community College in the final regular season game on Saturday and picked up another win, this time by a score of 7-4. Defenseman Cody Kettler led the Lions with two goals and Escarcega and Mike Inouye each added a goal and an assist.
In the Great Plains Regional Championship on Sunday, the Lions faced Missouri State University in the semifinals and earned an 11-5 win. Escarcega was the offensive star for Lindenwood as he scored three goals and added an assist. Daniel Inouye added a goal and two assists while Aitken scored two goals. Dwyer stopped 21 of 26 shots to earn the win between the pipes.
In a rematch with UMSL in the finals, the Lions skated to a 10-3 win. Michael Inouye led the offense with two goals and two assists while Escarcega added two goals and an assist and Aitken scored twice in the game. Lindenwood goalie
Brett Humes stopped 23 of 26 shots for the win.
With the five wins over the weekend, the Lions completed a perfect 22-0 season. They now prepare for the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA) National Championship in mid-April. Last year, Lindenwood was stunned by Long Beach State University in the finals 5-4.
