ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University men's hockey team went back-and-forth with visiting Finlandia University but eventually came away with a comfortable 5-2 victory.
The Thunder started the scoring early coming away with a power-play goal in the fourth minute of the contest. Freshman forward Jon Doyle (Livonia, Mich.) scored the goal giving the team the 1-0 lead. Sophomore Alex Johanson (Skokie, Ill.) added the assist on the goal.
Trine added to their lead with a shorthanded goal in the fourth minute of the second period. Following a successful penalty kill of a Finlandia 5-on-3 opportunity, but still down a man, sophomore forward Corey Robertson (South Lyon, Mich.) stole the puck at the team's defensive blue line. He would finish off the play by himself to score the unassisted goal.
The 2-0 lead was short lived however as the Lions responded by converting on the power-play to pull within one. The goal set off a string of back-and-forth scoring that lasted the rest of the period ending with the Thunder leading 4-2 heading into the final intermission.
Trine added a final goal in the third period to take their final lead of 5-2 and to pick up the victory.
Freshman Garrett Halford (McKinney, Texas) led the way for the Thunder in the contest finishing with two goals and an assist in the contest. While Blake Robertson (South Lyon, Mich.) joined brother Corey by both finishing with two points in the contest.
In goal, junior Brett Young (Livonia, Mich.) once again had a strong showing. Despite the final lopsided victory, the Thunder were outshot in the contest 42 to 26, but Young kept the team's lead safe finishing with 40 saves.
Trine improves to 2-3-1 overall and 2-2 in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA). The team will continue their season by traveling to face nationally-ranked Adrian College on Friday, Nov. 16 before returning home to host the team on Saturday, Nov. 17.