Green Knights Eke Past Finlandia in NCHA Playoffs Opener

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, February 15, 2019 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College battled to a 2-1 win over Finlandia University in the first game of a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Harris Cup Playoffs quarterfinal series at Cornerstone Community Center.

The Green Knights (19-4-3) won their 36th consecutive home game in NCHA Playoffs action dating back to 2006. St. Norbert is unbeaten in its last 39 games overall at the Cornerstone, with a 36-0-3 mark in that stretch.

St. Norbert will advance to the semifinals of the Harris Cup Playoffs with a win or tie over the Lions. Should Finlandia prevail, a 20-minute mini-game will take place 15 minutes after the completion of Game 2.

Following a scoreless first period, St. Norbert appeared to have scored at 1:24 of the second period, but the puck was ruled to have hit the post and the marker was waived. It took just 16 seconds later for the Green Knights to score for good, with Peter Bates finishing a combination from Kurt Black and Peyton Frantti at 1:40. The lead was short-lived, as Kendall Bolen-Porter capitalized for the Lions just 29 seconds later when the Green Knights couldn't clear the puck out of their defensive zone with an unassisted goal.

The game would remained deadlocked until Steven Phillips slipped past the Finlandia defense and took a pass from Steven Mather, skated in and cleanly beat Finlandia goaltender Marcus Gloss at 17:51 of the third period.

Each team had a brief power-play opportunity in the third period. Finlandia was able to pull Gloss in the waning moments with St. Norbert keeping possession in its offensive zone for most of the last two minutes of action.

St. Norbert outshot Finlandia 29-11. T.J. Black made 10 saves for the Green Knights, while Gloss made 27 stops for the Lions.

Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power play.