LAKE FOREST, Ill.. – Marian University NCAA men’s hockey (11-11-2, 5-6-5-1 NCHA) clinched at least the No. 6 seed in the NCHA Harris Cup Playoffs with a 5-4 win over Lake Forest.
- The Sabres wasted no time finding the back of the net just 1:24 into the game when senior Jack Sampson scored his eighth goal of the season. Sophomore Daunte Fortner and freshman Noah Pickart each earned assists.
- Lake Forest responded scoring just 1:57 later to tie the game and then took the lead at the 9:50. This lead held going into the second intermission.
- Marian bounced back scoring the first three goals of the second period.
- Sophomore Jaymes Knee netted a power-play goal, his 12th of the season, just 17 seconds into the second period with assists to Sampson and Pickart.
- Fellow sophomore Nick Cherkowski then scored his eighth goal of the year at the 5:14 mark with assists to junior Ty Mosimann and sophomore Jordan Simoneau.
- Mosimann gave Marian a 4-2 lead at the 8:51 mark with his fourth goal of the season, assists to juniors Mason Richey and Alex Rondeau.
- The Foresters were able to trim their deficit to one goal going into the third period and then scored at the 7:33 mark of the final stanza to tie the game.
- The game looked to be headed to overtime until Fortner lit the lamp with just 48 seconds remaining, assists to Sampson and Pickart.
- Marian was outshot in all three periods with the Foresters holding a 33-27 advantage for the game.
- Each team had seven chances on the power play with Marian scoring the only power-play goal of the game.
- Lake Forest had a hefty advantage in faceoffs winning 46 of the 67 draws.
- Marian has now clinched at least the No. 6 seed for the NCHA Harris Cup Playoffs. With a win in the series finale against Lake Forest and an MSOE loss against Aurora the Sabres would move up to the fifth spot.
