The roller hockey team dropped two out of three games in Great Plains Collegiate Inline Hockey League (GPCIHL) action February 14-15 at Matteson Square Gardens in St. Peters, Missouri. The Lions fell in overtime to Bethel University (Tenn.) 5-4 on Friday night, then stopped St. Louis Community College – Meramec 9-1 Saturday morning before losing another to the Wildcats 5-2 later that afternoon.
In the first contest against Bethel, the two teams traded goals in the first period.
Brycon Johnson gave Lindenwood an early 1-0 lead at 3:17 before the Wildcats responded three minutes later. The Lions fell behind 3-1 in the second after back-to-back scores from Bethel, the first on the power play, and the latter on an unassisted effort. Lindenwood rallied in the third, beginning with a man-advantage goal from Johnson at 2:57. The comeback was temporarily halted by a fourth Wildcats goal before
Nick DellaMorte hit the back of the cage at 4:29. The Lions tied the game at four with an unassisted shot from DellaMorte on the power play with 2:39 remaining in regulation. The overtime period almost went the distance, but Bethel earned the winner with just 16 seconds left.
Overall, Lindenwood outshot the Wildcats 37-30 and
Jacob Robinson stopped 25 of 30 pucks in a hard-luck loss in goal. DellaMorte earned Star #2 honors for his two goals and one assist.
After the heartbreaker, the Lions took care of business against the Archers Sunday morning, scoring all nine goals before allowing the lone Meramec tally. DellaMorte earned a hat trick for Lindenwood, and six other players each registered one score including
Steve Farina,
Cody Page,
Joe Fordyce,
Nick Berger,
Tyler Watson, and
Eric Kurpiewski.
The Lions outshot the Archers 26 to 18 and Tyler Kolly made 17 saves on those 18 shot attempts. DellaMorte earned Star #1 honors with three goals and two assists, Berger was named Star #2 with a goal and assist, and Fordyce claimed Star #3 honors with a goal and assist.
In the rematch against Bethel Sunday afternoon, Lindenwood only managed to score in the first period. After a Bethel goal at the 5:39 mark of the first, Johnson tied the game just 10 seconds later, but the Wildcats scored the next two, and even after a
Joey Rosa goal at 9:26, the Lions still trailed. Bethel added a fourth goal in the final minute of the period and then scored a fifth in the final minute of the third.
After the weekend, Lindenwood dropped to 9-7 overall and to 5-4 in the GPCIHL. The Lions return to more GPCIHL action February 21 and 23, facing Missouri S & T D3 at 7 p.m. Friday night, and Illinois State D3 at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at the All-American Sports Mall in St. Louis, Missouri.
