Week 9 Review: Overtimes needed in UWO/Roosevelt split, Mother Nature spoils NMU/PNW outdoor series
Orange Division leader, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, kept their place atop the standings with a split against Roosevelt University this past weekend and earned the season’s first conference tournament berth. Neither game could be decided in regulation time, so UWO and Roosevelt continued a trend started last weekend with both games of a series going to overtime. Since both teams came away with three points on the weekend, UWO increased their lead over second place to four points and Roosevelt moved up into a tie for second place with Northern Michigan University. The split also continued the series history of one team not being able to sweep the other.
Mother Nature can be cruel and that was on full display during Northern Michigan University and Purdue University Northwest’s outdoor series. In game one, during the middle of the third period, ice conditions became hazardous and the game could not be continued due to player safety concerns. PNW held the lead at that time and got their first division win as a member of the conference. Things did not get better for game two as the condition of the ice did not allow the teams to even suit up. So, what promised to be a unique experience down in Indiana, unfortunately, did not live up to expectations.
DePaul University swept St. Norbert College in the only inter-division series.
In non-conference action, Lewis University lost to University of Michigan.
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Roosevelt University split, both games go to overtime:
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh put the first goal up on the scoreboard at the 9:07 mark of the first period. Roosevelt would have an answer 1:51 later, tying the game at one apiece. UWO retook the lead with 6:02 left before the first intermission but the lead would be short-lived as Roosevelt pulled even at the 17:29 mark. After the conclusion of 20 minutes of play, UWO and Roosevelt were knotted at two.
The second period would see only one goal scored and it came just 17 seconds after the puck dropped to kick off the period. With the period’s only goal UWO went into the third period up 3-2.
UWO would build their lead to two at the 2:25 mark of the third period. Then, with 2:34 left in regulation, Roosevelt found life and pulled the game to 4-3 in favor of UWO. A minute and 14 seconds later they tied the game up, sending the game to overtime. Roosevelt carried the momentum into overtime and scored the game winner.
In game two on Saturday afternoon, UWO once again struck first. They put the first puck in the net 7:01 into the first period. Roosevelt scored their first goal of the game at 9:21. At the 12:11 mark UWO went back up by one. UWO held onto the lead a bit longer this time, however, Roosevelt knotted the game at two with 4:10 left in the period. Just over a minute later UWO went up 3-2. The game of back and forth continued when Roosevelt once again tied the game, this time with only 19 seconds before the first intermission.
Roosevelt would take their first lead in the game 7:12 into the second period. After 11 scoreless minutes they increased their lead to two and at the end of the second period Roosevelt continued to hold that 5-3 advantage.
Two minutes and 51 seconds into the third period UWO cut the lead back down to one. Then, at the 5:44 mark, tied the game at five. UWO would score their third unanswered goal with 10:21 left in regulation to go up 6-5. Roosevelt, thanks to a penalty shot opportunity, once again tied the game at the 11:15 mark. Neither team was able to score the remainder of the third period, so like the night before they were off to overtime. The roles reversed during this overtime session, compared to the night before, as UWO would put home the game winner at the 1:28 mark.
As of press time, the gamesheets for the series had not been posted for a more detailed account of the games. Additional information in the summary came from the UWO Facebook account.
Northern Michigan University loses shortened game against Purdue University Northwest:
On the outdoor ice at Bulldog Park, the scoring came fast and furious in the first minutes of game one. Craig Herman, assisted by Sam Bourdages and Brandon Prodoehl, put Purdue University Northwest on the board first just 45 seconds into the game. Northern Michigan University had an answer at the 1:34 mark when Holden Biebel, assisted by Jack Mattias lit the lamp. Herman would tally his second goal of the game 2:13 later, assisted by Bourdages and Ryan Gallant. Neither team would be able to add to their total the remainder of the period, so they made their way to their respective locker rooms with PNW holding a 2-1 lead.
Penalties on Gallant and Blake Witkowski early in the second period put NMU on a 5-on-3 power play. The NMU powerplay unit came through and at 3:30 Jack Mattias, assisted by Jack Jones, netted the equalizer. As in the first period, the game would not remain tied for long. Bourdages, assisted by Prodoehl and Brett Bandstra, would put PNW back in the lead, with what ultimately was the game winner, at the 5:46 mark. After assisting on two earlier goals, Prodoehl found the back of the net, assisted by Duncan McCourt and Bourdages, with 1:29 left before the horn sounded the end of period two.
Up 4-2 to start the third period, PNW increased their lead to three just 1:26 into the period. Scoring for PNW was Herman, his second of the game, and he was assisted by Prodoehl. An interference penalty on NMU’s Nate Maceroni at the 6:10 mark put PNW’s powerplay unit back on the ice. Only 23 seconds of man advantage were needed before Bandstra put home PNW’s sixth goal of the game. Assisting on Bandstra’s goal were Prodoehl and Bourdages. Unfortunately, with 9:41 left in regulation the outdoor ice was deemed a hazard and the game had to be called. Per NCAA rules, the game had past 40 minutes of play and since PNW held the lead when the game was called they were credited with the victory.
In net for PNW and earning the victory was Curtis Campbell and taking the loss for NMU was Jacob Vandenberg.
Poor ice conditions carried into Saturday, requiring the cancellation of game two.
Inter-Division Games:
DePaul University swept St. Norbert College, winning 7-3 on Friday and 6-4 on Saturday.
Non-Conference Games:
#12 Aurora University v. #19 Davenport University - Postponed
Lewis University at University of Michigan, losing 11-4 on Friday and
Idle:
#5 Marian University
#13 Marquette University
Concordia University WI
