Green Knights Drop Eastern Trip Opener

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, November 29, 2019 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

REIERSTOWN, Md. - St. Norbert College couldn't hold on to a third-period lead and lost a 6-5 outcome to Stevenson University in the first game of a two-game East Region trip in a non-conference game at Reierstown Sportsplex.

The Green Knights (2-7) carried a 3-2 lead into the third period but the Mustangs (6-1) would score the first two goals of a wild third period. Carl Lyden scored for Stevenson just 19 seconds into the period after a shot was redirected into the net off a defender's skate. The Mustangs would pull ahead at the 3:34 mark of the period on Christian Ripley's goal at 3:34.

St. Norbert would respond quickly, with Michael Spethmann scoring 55 seconds later to retie the game at 4-4. Kurt Black then scored his third goal of the game at 5:53 to push the Green Knights back in front 5-4. Stevenson would retake the momentum after the Green Knights were cited for a too many men penalty at 7:06 and a major boarding call just 17 seconds later. The Mustangs converted the 5-on-3 chance on a Ripley marker at 8:25. St. Norbert would kill off the major, but Stevenson would get the game-winning goal when an unmarked Chris Lee scored at 13:33.

The Green Knights would get 1:14 of extra-attacker time at the end of the game but failed to score.

The loss marred a strong first period that saw St. Norbert take a 3-1 lead. Lee gave Stevenson the game's first goal with a power-play score at 7:35. Black would respond for the Green Knights with a pair of goals at 8:55 and 13:54. Peyton Frantti's unassisted marker at 16:24 pushed St. Norbert out to a 3-1 edge.

Stevenson would score the second period's only goal on a score by Luke Benitez at 7:47.

Black had an assist and Frantti had three helpers to give both players a four-point game. Peter Bates had a pair of assists for the Green Knights.

Stevenson outshot St. Norbert 28-27. Ryan Bontorin made 22 saves for the Green Knights, while Ryan Kenny had 22 stops for the Mustangs.

St. Norbert was 0-for-4 on the power play and Stevenson was 2-for-6.