ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Trine University men's hockey team scored quickly, but had to fend off the feisty Finlandia University squad by the score of 6-4 in the first of a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) doubleheader pushed back from the weekend.
The Thunder struck first in the contest when in just the third minute of play junior Brendan Prappas (West Bloomfield, Mich.) scored his seventh goal of the season. It is the fourth game in a row that Prappas has tallied a goal.
The team added to their lead just over a minute later. The goal came quickly following the start of Trine's first powerplay opportunity of the contest. This time junior Brett Piper scored the goal, his third of the season.
The 2-0 lead would last just over six minutes before the Lions would score their first of the game and then another five minutes later they tied the contest with their second.
The Thunder would take back the lead in the 17th minute of the contest. This time sophomore Chace McCardle (Southgate, Mich.) was the goal scorer. McCardle had a career night, finishing with a team high four points including the goal and three assists. The team would take the 3-2 lead into the first intermission.
The lone goal of the second would go to Lions, despite the home squad outshooting the opposition 19-5.
Just 15 seconds into the final period the Thunder took back the lead on a shot from sophomore Thad Marcola (Almont, Mich.) for his fifth goal of the season.
Freshman Bobby Price (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) added to his team-high goal tally when he gave the team a 5-3 lead in the seventh minute of the final period. He has now scored 12 goals on the season.
The Lions refused to go away however cutting the lead to one again in the tenth minute at 5-4. Senior Garrett Hallford (McKinney, Texas) put away the game with the team's final goal in the final minutes of the contest, giving Trine the 6-4 win.
The Thunder improve to 12-4 overall and 6-3 in NCHA play. The will finish of the series against the Lions with another game tomorrow, January 10. The game is set to start at 7:15 p.m.