Green Knights Hold On to Remain In First Place

From Sports Information Director, February 12, 2016 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DULUTH, Minn. - St. Norbert College kept its one-point lead in the overall Northern Collegiate Hockey Association standings by posting a hard-fought 3-2 win over the College of St. Scholastica at Mars Lakeview Arena.

The Green Knights (19-2-1, 15-2 NCHA) lead Adrian College by one point for overall regular-season race in the NCHA with three games remaining. The win also gave St. Norbert a six-point lead in the North Division on St. Scholastica (14-6-2, 12-5).

St. Norbert had to dig out of an early hole, as the Saints' Keegan Bruce scored just 17 seconds into the game. That goal held up for the rest of the first period to give St. Scholastica a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

The Green Knights turned up the pressure in the decisive second period, outshooting the Saints 19-6 in the middle 20 minutes. Tanner Froese registered an unassisted power-play goal at the 9:43 mark, followed by Michael Hill's team-high 12th goal of the season at 12:06. Sean Campbell put St. Norbert ahead 3-1 with a 4-on-4 goal moments later at 13:24 for a 3-1 edge.

St. Scholastica couldn't draw closer until Steven Phee scored an extra attacker goal with 38 seconds remaining. The Saints also had an extra attacker for the final 30 seconds but couldn't register the equalizer.

Froese added an assist for a two-point game, the Green Knights' lone multi-point outing. Erik Cooper assisted on Hill's goal to score a point in his 14th consecutive game. Cooper has scored in 21 of St. Norbert's 22 games this season.

The Green Knights outshot the Saints 47-26. T.J. Black made 24 saves for St. Norbert and Tyler Bruggeman made 44 stops for St. Scholastica.

St. Norbert was 1-for-5 on the power play while St. Scholastica was 0-for-4.