St. Norbert's Quick Start Chops Down Lumberjacks

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, February 3, 2018 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College pumped in three first-period goals and that was more than enough as the Green Knights topped Northland College 5-0 in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game at Cornerstone Community Center.

The Green Knights (18-4-1, 13-3 NCHA), ranked No. 3 in the USCHO.com and D3hockey.com Division III polls, won at least their 18th game for the 22nd consecutive season. That total extends St. Norbert's NCAA Division III record for consecutive seasons with at least 18 victories.

St. Norbert got the early lead just 2 minutes 33 seconds into the game when Kurt Black's deflection was good for his ninth goal of the season. Tanner Froese scored a 4-on-4 goal at 6:45, set up by Chris Rygus' hard drive deep into the offensive zone. Riley Christensen then found himself all along from out front for his fifth goal of the season with a marker at 17:22.

The Green Knights added a power-play goal at 4:41 of the second period when Brad Pung scored his seventh goal of the season. St. Norbert then killed off nine minutes of Northland power-play time in the second half of the second period to keep its four-goal lead.

St. Norbert scored its final goal of the game at 13:53 of the third period on a lamplighter by Steven Mather, his third of the season.

Black added an assist for a two-point game, the only multi-point outing for the Green Knights.

St. Norbert outshot Northland 33-12. T.J. Black made 12 saves for the Green Knights for his 11th career shutout. A.J. Smith made 28 saves for the Lumberjacks.

The Green Knights were 1-for-4 on the power play, while Northland was 0-for-4.