The Lindenwood University Lions men's ice hockey team (0-0-0, 0-0-0) will open the 2023-24 campaign in USAF, Colorado, as they take on the Air Force Falcons (0-0-0, 0-0-0). Game one is set for Saturday, October 7th at 6:05 p.m. (CT) and game two is slated for the same on Sunday, October 8th.
The Lions finished the 2022-23 inaugural Division I season 7-22-1, which serves as the most for a first-year program since the Arizona State Sun Devils recorded three victories against Division I opponents during the 2015-16 season. Going big or going home could have been penned by Lindenwood's men's hockey team as they opened the season against the #2 ranked Minnesota and they went on to play an additional four ranked opponents during the year, three of which were Top Ten (10).
The Lions first DI victory came on October 14th against the Air Force. Trailing by four goals midway through the second period, Lindenwood went on a run, scoring five unanswered goals to defeat the Falcons 7-6. With that victory, LU became the first men's hockey program this century to earn their first division I victory after trailing by two or more goals.
For this weekend's series, the Lions and Falcons enter tied, at one victory each, after AF was able to clinch a 5-3 win in game two. Lindenwood is returning much of the talent that lifted them over the Air Force in game one, including David Gagnon, Kyle Jeffers, Kieran Ruscheinski, Mitch Allard, Adam Conquest, Caleb Price, Joe Prouty, Coltan Wilkie, Drew Kuzma, Cade DeStefanie, Caige Sterzer, and Aiden Yakimchuk.
Each player listed either scored a goal or assisted during the two-game series held October 14-15, 2022. With the returners as well as the newcomers, the Lions are looking for a competitive series to start the 2023 campaign.
