ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Trine University men's hockey team posted a shutout while scoring three to hop past visiting SUNY Canton. Sophomore defenseman Josh Hinderliter (Wyandotte, Mich.) led the team offensively, tallying an assist on each of the team's goals to finish the game with a team-high three points.
The Thunder looked to be in trouble throughout the first period as they spent much of the time in their defensive zone, despite only being outshot in the period by 7-5. The defense held strong, however, coming up with blocked shot after blocked shot, with junior Brett Young (Livonia, Mich.) stopping the rest to keep the game even at zero heading into the first intermission.
A different Trine team took the ice following the break, as they turned the time of possession on its head in the period, doubling up the opposition in shots, 14-7.
Trine's revitalized offensive attack cashed in in the 16th minute of the period with a power-play goal. Hinderliter received an offensive zone faceoff at the point and passed it back into the faceoff circle to freshman forward Austin Stauffer (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) who fired a shot wide of the net. Sophomore Alex Johanson (Skokie, Ill.) collected the rebound and fired two shots from right in front of the goalie, the second found its mark giving him his second goal of the season and the team the 1-0 lead.
Just twenty seconds later, Hinderliter came up with the puck behind the Thunder net and passed it up the boards to sophomore forward Carmine Taffo (Staten Island, N.Y.) who carried it out of the zone. Taffo and fellow forward freshman Gianni Vitali (Grand Rapids, Mich.) took turns carrying the puck up the ice before Vitali finished off the play with a shot from the top of the circle. The goal gave the Trine the 2-0 lead which they would hold into the second intermission.
The Thunder started the final period of the contest once again up a man and once again took advantage of the power-play opportunity. Hinderliter again started the play, this time firing a shot from the top of the faceoff circle. The Canton goalie came up with a save but left the rebound in front of the net where freshman forward Jon Doyle (Livonia, Mich.) scooped it up and immediately passed it across the face of the net. Sophomore Michael Meisenbacher (Basking Ridge, N.J.) received the pass and fired on a wide open net converting for his second goal of the season.
Trine would hold onto the 3-0 lead and it would become the final score.
In net, Young finished the game with his second straight shutout. He came away with 23 saves in the contest.
After trailing in the shots column on the stat sheet in the first period the Thunder ended the game with a 31-23 advantage in the category, with the second period being the highlight.
Trine improves to 4-8-1 overall following the victory. They will take the ice again on Friday, Jan. 4 when they host King's (Pa.) College for a 7 p.m. contest.