ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Trine University men's hockey team came up short in a comeback attempt against nationally-ranked Lake Forest College falling by the score of 4-2.
The Foresters took a lead in just the second minute of play with a breakaway goal.
The Thunder responded nine minutes later. The play started when sophomore Aryan Batra (Franklin, Mich.) passed the puck out from behind the net to junior forward Carmine Taffo (Staten Island, N.Y.) who stood to the side of the net. Taffo forwarded the pass along to sophomore William Casey (Eagle River, Alaska) who fired a shot from the front of the net past the goalie. The goal tied the contest at 1-1.
Lake Forest took back the lead with a powerplay goal in the 15th minute and took the 2-1 score into the first intermission.
The score held through most of the second period until the Foresters added to their lead in the 19th minute. They would take the 3-1 lead into the second intermission.
The Thunder pulled back within one in the seventh minute of the final period. Freshman Brett Tierney (West Chicago, Ill.) fired a shot from the point which ricocheted off of classmate Frank Trazzera (Keller, Texas). Sophomore Brandon Krumpschmid (Grand Rapids, Mich.) collected the loose puck and put it into the back of the net.
Trailing 3-2 in the final minute of the contest, Trine pulled their goalie in favor of an extra attacker. Just seconds after the substitution the Foresters came up with a defensive zone turnover which they quickly converted into an empty-net goal to ice the game at 4-2.
The Thunder fall to 6-6 overall and 4-3 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) following the loss. They will face off with Lake Forest again tomorrow, Saturday, January 4. Opening puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m.