ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine NCAA men's hockey team opened their inaugural season with a close home loss to the University of Wisconsin - Stout.
Both teams played strong defense in the first period with both goaltenders holding on to shutouts as the teams entered the first intermission. Sophmore Brett Young (Livonia, Mich.) got the start for the Thunder in net and made six saves in the first period.
In the second period, both offenses began to find their rhythms. Trine was first to find the back of the net in the game, which they did in the 13th minute of the period. Freshman forward Carmine Taffo (Staten Island, N. Y.) took a pass in front of the net from fellow freshman forward Corey Robertson (South Lyon, Mich.) and put a shot into the pads of the Blue Devils' netminder, who failed to cover the puck. Freshman defenseman Josh Hinterliter took the rebound and put it over the head of the goalie for his first goal of the season.
UW-Stout would respond with its own goal in the 16th minute of the period when forward Dylan Zins took a pass across the face of the net from defender Connor Chambers and put the puck past Young's glove.
The Blue Devils would score their second goal of the game in the seventh minute of the third period when forward Jack Forbort took a shot from behind the net and bounced it in off the back of the goaltender's pads.
The Thunder would end up pulling Young for an extra attacker for the last 1:42 of the game, but were unable to capitalize, mainly because of a stout effort by UW-Stout's goalie, and the game would end with a 2-1 score in favor of the visitors.
Trine would finish the game with 34 shots on goal, 11 more than the opposition. Young would end the game with 21 saves, despite, allowing the two goals.
The Thunder will face a tough test tomorrow when nationally-fifth-ranked University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point comes to Angola for a 7 p.m. contest at Thunder Ice Arena.