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The year has changed but the NCHL Championship will look familiar as Purdue University NW takes on Marian University in a rematch of last season’s Championship game. After both teams breezed through the quarterfinals, PNW defeated UW Oshkosh 8-0 and Marian defeated DePaul 8-3, the semifinals were a test. PNW was one second away from needing overtime to decide a winner against Marquette University and it wasn’t until Marian scored an empty net goal that they sealed the deal versus Concordia University WI.

 

It has been almost four and a half months since PNW and Marian met in the regular season. Their series at the end of September kicked off divisional play for both teams. In that series, PNW came away with a sweep, winning game one 5-3 and game two 3-2 to push their overall regular season record against Marian to 3-1. During those four games, PNW holds a 4.25 goals for to 3.5 goal against advantage. However, their only meeting in the Conference Tournament came last year and Marian emerged victorious in that contest, 5-4.

 

In order to avenge last season’s defeat, PNW will have to watch Anthony O’Neal and Easton Nick. O’Neal scored three goals and assisted on another over the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. He also had two assists in their regular season series. While Nick has a goal and three assists so far in the tournament and scored two goals in their regular season series.

 

Marian will need to watch Brayden Mitchell and Collin Kozijn. Mitchell exploded with four goals in PNW’s quarterfinal game against UWO. Not to be overlooked is Kozijn, who has tallied a goal and three assists over the two tournament rounds, along with an assist in the regular season series.