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A third of the conference games for this season are now complete as #11 Lewis University earned a series sweep this weekend of #34 St. Mary’s University of MN and an all-important six points. The six points also jumped Lewis up into the top five of the conference standings and only two points out of second. With the conference being so closely grouped in the middle there is still a lot of room for volatility with the remaining conference games.

In non-conference action this past weekend the Titans of UW Oshkosh split their series with previous NCHL member Michigan Tech University. Also, three member teams played in the Robert Morris University Showcase; Waldorf University went 3-0, RMU-Maroon went 3-0, and Northern Michigan University went 0-3 in round robin play against Illinois State University, DePaul University, and Northern Illinois University.

#11 Lewis University moves up the conference standing with sweep

Dean Wojtak got the scoring started for Lewis University in Saturday’s series opener. At the 13:44 mark of the first period he was able to find the back of the net on assists from Vincent Kesic and Patrick Nelson. That would be the only goal scored during the first stanza and Lewis would head into the second period with a 1-0 lead.

Over half way through the second and faced with a penalty kill, Lewis struck again when Christopher Estey scored a shorthanded goal to make it 2-0. Forty-five seconds later the lead would become three as Alex Carson got one by St. Mary’s goaltender Blair Sanders. Scoring for the period concluded with 6:13 remaining when Nicholas Johnsen scored for Lewis, off an assist by Scott Schroeder, bringing the score to 4-0.

Lewis started the third on the power play and took advantage 10 seconds in. Credited for the power play goal was Joseph Fiandaca with an assist by Pat Conoboy. Michael Brusa got St. Mary’s on the board, ending Sergey Markelov’s bid for a shutout, with a power play goal at the 17:17 mark. He was assisted by Kale Johnstone and Daniel Schmidt. Justin Adams would put the Flyers back up by five 36 seconds later with an unassisted goal. The third period came to a close with Lewis leading 6-1.

Stopping 29 of the 30 shots he faced in victory was Markelov and taking the loss for St. Mary’s in a 30 save effort was Sanders.

Sunday’s series finally was all Lewis University. Scoring the first of nine goals on the night for Lewis was Patrick Nelson 2:09 into the game, assisted by Austin Ahlers and Matthew Eberhardt. Lewis’ Nicholas Johnsen scored his first of the night at the 14:38 mark off an assist by Justin Adams. Nelson would net his second of the period 75 seconds later on a feed from Nick Santelli. With only a second remaining in the first Lewis would strike again, this time a power play goal. Scoring for Lewis was Alex Carson, with assists to Nelson and Vincent Kesic.

Lewis continued the scoring onslaught in the second period. Christopher Estey recorded goal number five for Lewis on a shorthander from Sergey Markelov 5:50 into the period. Nelson, off assists from Ahlers and Adams, put his third puck and sixth for Lewis in the back of the net with 7:45 remaining in the period. Ahlers was also able to put one home, increasing Lewis’ lead to 7-0, with 35 seconds to go in the second. He was assisted by Dillon George and Adams.

Only two goals would be scored in the third period, both by Lewis players. Carson got his second of the game 6:44 into the period on assists by Kevin Riedy and Scott Schroeder. Santelli finished off the game’s scoring with 9:49 remaining, putting one past Tait Carlson. St. Mary’s was unable to take advantage of the nine power play opportunities they had throughout the game and Lewis came out with a 9-0 victory.

Earning the shutout for Lewis, turning away all 23 shots faced, was Sergey Markelov. Credited for the loss was Blair Sanders of St. Mary’s. In the 20 minutes he was on the ice Sanders recorded 10 saves. Carlson, in net for the final two periods, saved 15 of the 20 shots he faced.

Non-Conference:

#26 UW Oshkosh split with #24 Michigan Tech University, winning 5-2 on Friday and losing 7-5 on Saturday

RMU-Showcase (Fri-Sat-Sun)

Friday:

- #27 Robert Morris University-Maroon beat #30 Illinois State University 7-2

- #5 Waldorf University beat #18 Northern Illinois University 9-1

- #33 Northern Michigan University lost to #23 DePaul University 8-1

Saturday:

- #27 Robert Morris University-Maroon beat #18 Northern Illinois University 2-0

- #5 Waldorf University beat #23 DePaul University 5-1

- #33 Northern Michigan University lost to #30 Illinois State University 2-1

Sunday:

- #27 Robert Morris University-Maroon beat #23 DePaul University 4-2

- #5 Waldorf University beat #30 Illinois State University 4-1

- #33 Northern Michigan University lost to #18 Northern Illinois University 5-2

Idle

#4 Marian University