ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine men's NCAA hockey team were defeated by nationally ranked University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point this evening by the score of 3-2.
The Thunder kept it close throughout the game against the team from Stevens Point, which is ranked fifth in both major NCAA Division III hockey polls. Both teams' goaltenders would start the game by posting shutout first periods. Sophomore Brett Young (Livonia, Mich.) was tabbed as the starter for the Thunder for the second night in a row. Tonight he would finish the game with 42 saves, and overall had a strong showing despite the three goals he allowed.
In the second period, both teams would tally their first goals of the night and both would come on Trine power play opportunities. Stevens Point's Luke McElhenie would score the first goal of the contest with his team down a man in the ninth minute of the period. The Thunder would respond in the late minutes of the period with a power-play goal from sophomore forward Tanner Bennett (Columbus). Both senior forward Lucas Bombardier (Pittsford, Vt.) and freshman forward Sammy Nardicchio (Commerce, Mich.) would record assists on the goal.
The third period saw the Pointers seem to pull away when they tallied two goals near the halfway point of the period. Things looked even worse for the Thunder when they found themselves down a man with three minutes left in the contest. But Trine captain Bombardier gave the Thunder life once more with a spectacular end-to-end unassisted shorthand goal with 2:50 remaining in the game. Unfortunately, the Thunder could not complete the comeback even with an empty net and extra attacker for the last portion of the game, as the Pointers of Stevens Point would escape with the 3-2 win.
The Thunder will next take the ice when they travel to Marian University for an 8:00 p.m. contest on Friday, Nov. 3. The game will be the first of a weekend NCHA doubleheader for the Thunder as they also faceoff with Lawrence University on Saturday, Nov. 4 as part of the same road trip. Trine's next home contest does not come until Friday, Nov. 17 when they take on the currently nationally-ranked Adrian College Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m.