(Chelsea, MI) - The Concordia University Men's Hockey team faced off with the 18th-ranked Lawrence Tech Blue Devils in a home-and-home WHAC series this weekend, falling in both games to LTU.
Game 1 -- Lawrence Tech 8, Concordia 2
The Cardinals would strike first early on, as Derek Hebner would score on the powerplay just over 7 minutes into the contest. Lawrence Tech would strike at the end of the first to tie things up at 1 a piece going into the intermission.
The Blue Devils came out on fire in the second period, scoring 6 consecutive goals and outshooting the Cardinals 19-4.
Quinn Bieniek would strike back for Concordia, scoring less than four minutes into the period. Abel Christians would pick up an assist on the score.
Lawrence Tech eventually tacked on another goal on the powerplay for the third time in the contest, and road the game out the rest of the way for an 8-2 victory.
Anthony Seykora started in net, making 21 saves on 26 shots before Elijah Gibbons came in for him halfway through the second period. Gibbons recorded 16 saves in relief.
Game 2 -- Lawrence Tech 5, Concordia 3
The second game of the series started off with a back and forth battle in the first period, as eventually LTU scored a shorthanded goal late in the period.
The Cardinals came out fast in the second period, as Brenden Murray recorded his first career goal just over 2 minutes into the second period. Kyle Hebner picked up an assist on the score. Just a minute later, Brandon Troyer passed the puck to Abel Christians, who would feed Hunter Kepple out in front, and he sniped the goalie to give the Cardinals the lead.
Lawrence Tech would knot the game up with 6:42 to go in the period, but Concordia bounced back with another goal in 2nd. While on the penalty kill, Brayden Tayles fed Thomas Hendry on a breakaway, and Hendry sniped the goalie to give CUAA a 3-2 lead going into the third.
The Blue Devils came out in the third quickly, scoring near the end of their 5-minute powerplay. They would then tack on two more goals 22 seconds apart and hold on to their 5-3 lead through the end of the game for a victory.
Stephen Ward-Brown started in net for the Cardinals, making 18 saves in the loss.
The Cardinals are back in action next Friday at home against Rochester University. Puck drop is set for 8:30pm at the Arctic Coliseum in Chelsea, MI.
