St. Norbert Moves Into NCHA Lead

From Sports Information Director, December 8, 2007 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GREEN BAY - St. Norbert College moved into sole possession of first place in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association with a big 5-2 home victory over UW-River Falls at the Cornerstone Community Center. The Green Knights improved to 9-1-1 overall and 5-0-1 in the NCHA, while River Falls fell to 8-2-3, 4-1-1. St. Norbert is ranked third in the USCHO.com Poll and River Falls is fourth.

St. Norbert goaltender Kyle Jones made 23 saves to win his 72nd career game, which ties him for the NCAA Division III career lead with Rick Strack of Plattsburgh State, who posted that number from 1978-81.

Following a scoreless first period, St. Norbert scored three quick goals at the start of the second period for the second straight game. Dustin Dubas knocked in a 5-on-3 power-play goal 3 minutes 4 seconds into the second period. Nick Tabisz then finished off the power play 57 seconds later for a 2-0 lead. Taylor Langford then scored his first collegiate goal at 6:57 of the second.

River Falls cut it to 3-1 on a Pat Borgestad power-play goal at 9:55 of the second, but Marc Belanger got the goal back on a brilliant backhand move with 17:04 gone by in the second period for a 4-1 advantage after two periods.

Ryan Petersen made the lead 5-1 on another power-play goal 5:23 into the third period. Borgestad rounded out the scoring at 15:21 of the third.

Petersen finished with one goal and two assists for St. Norbert, while Scott Pulak added three assists. St. Norbert was 3-for-5 on the power play while River Falls was 1-for-5.

Tyler Owens made 23 saves for River Falls.