Both Finlandia squads garner points over weekend

The Finlandia men's and women's teams each tallied points over the weekend in two separate home series.

The women (7-13-3, 1-10-2 NCHA) played to a scoreless tie Friday and then suffered a 5-4 loss Saturday against Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Katie Markovich stopped all 14 shots she faced Friday while counterpart Jill Arendt finished with 17 saves.

Saturday, Danielle Syrowik, Ashley Leitch and Chaslyn Duffek each had a goal and an assist. Amy Danielson also scored, Brenda Peterson added two assists and Corinne Czekaj had 24 saves.

Last-place FU travels to first-place Wisconsin-Stevens Point this weekend to end the season.

The Lions' men took a 5-2 defeat to the Milwaukee School of Engineering Friday before rebounding with a 6-5 win Saturday.

Friday, Mike Parks notched a goal and an assist and Josh Paquette also scored. Lukas Alberer made 28 saves in defeat.

Saturday, Jason Aldrich registered two goals and Paquette, Travis Hanson, Keith Johnstone and Corey Blake also added snipes. Joe Welgos chipped in with two assists and Joe Juntilla stopped 27 shots.

The men (9-12-3, 9-8-3 MCHA) finished in third place in the league and host sixth-seeded Northland on Mar. 3 in an MCHA quarterfinal.

MSU sweeps No. 2 Miami at home

Michigan State earned a huge sweep of first-place Miami last weekend at Munn Ice Arena and in the process beat the No. 2 team in the country.

Tyler Howells, named the CCHA's Defensive Player of the Week Monday, tallied a three-point night (goal, two assists) and classmates Chris Snavely (pictured) and captain Drew Miller added goals to propel MSU, then ranked No. 10, to a 3-1 victory over No. 2 Miami on Saturday night.

The win closed out a sweep of the RedHawks and the Spartans (19-10-7 overall, 13-7-6 CCHA) clinched a first-round bye in the CCHA playoffs. Miami had already clinched the top seed in the conference playoffs, while MSU is battling with Michigan and Nebraska-Omaha for the second seed. MSU currently sits in second place with 32 points.

"It was a very good series and we feel good about it," said Spartans head coach Rick Comley. "We played so well for two periods last night and tonight it was more up and down, but we persevered. Again, we're still getting better and I think we're moving the right way."

Bryan Lerg added two assists for MSU while Jeff Lerg stopped 20 shots in net.

The previous evening, Tim Crowder, Bryan Lerg and Nick Sucharski scored in a 3-2 victory. Jeff Lerg made 18 saves and had his shutout broken in the third period by brothers Matt and Nathan Davis.

"Miami's a good team, but we didn't expect to lose," defenseman Corey Potter said. "We didn't sit back and play defense. We took it to them."

The Spartans, now No. 5 in the country, wrap up the regular season this weekend with a two-game series against Lake Superior State. LSSU hosts Thursday's game at 7:35 p.m., while the teams will play the second game at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday.

ACHA Weekend Round-Up, Feb. 20

Lakers Fall in First Round, Defeat Michigan in Consolation Game


Geneva, Ill. - Grand Valley State University made their way to the first ever ACHA regional playoffs this weekend at the Fox Valley Arena in Geneva, Ill. The top two teams would head to the national tournament in New York.

The Lakers started the weekend off against GLIHA rival #8 Central Michigan. GVSU looked nervous in the first and it hurt, as the Lakers allowed three quick goals to central. Though playing hard, the Lakers were plagued by an inability to score all game long. Nate Morang was able to make the game 3-1 in the second, but a misplayed puck by goaltender Chris Moore gave CMU a 4-1 lead in the third. GVSU dominated the 2nd and 3rd but were only able to put one more past CMU's Troy Reuter. CMU added a empty net goal to seal the game. Final shots were 45-28 in the game in favor of GVSU. The game was a heartbreaking loss for GVSU, as they were eliminated by a team they had controlled all year.

GVSU would find themselves against the University of Michigan in the consolation game on Saturday. Michigan got on the board first, putting a quick goal between Troy VanderWeyden's legs. This however, would be the only goal that VanderWeyden would allow the Wolverines as GVSU controlled the rest of the game. Adam Zobl would get Grand Valley on the board intercepting a pass from the Michigan goaltender and Nate Morang would add another to give GVSU a lead they would not surrender. Phil Murray and Ben Kadzban would continue the scoring for GVSU, ending the 2nd with a 4-1 lead. The third was chippy but GVSU ended the game with a 4-1 win, thus taking the season series 2-1. VanderWeyden won his 5th game of the year. Final shots were 33-23 in favor of GVSU.

Next Week - GVSU finishes up their season next week with the GLIHA championships at "The Rink" in Battle Creek. They play on Saturday at 12 PM against the winner of CMU and Illinois game. The winner of that game plays for the championship at 8:30.

News and Notes - Michigan State and Central Michigan were the winners of the regional tournament. They along with Oakland and Davenport head to the Nationals Championship.

Wayne State women sweep Niagara

Freshman sensation Melissa Boal (pictured) recorded five points and coach Jim Fetter's dilemma of which goaltender is better got no easier last weekend, as the Wayne State women's team swept Niagara - they won 4-0 on Friday and 2-1 Saturday.

The Warrior offensive energy has been inextricably linked to the freshman class this year, and the Niagara series was no exception. Boal's unassisted goal put the Warriors on the board at 6:22 of the first period, and fellow freshman Lindsey DiPietro closed the first stanza by blasting a Kristy Leng rebound past the Niagara netminder to increase their lead to two.

During the second period, Boal took advantage of a Warrior power play to set up CHA scoring leader Sam Poyton for her 22nd goal of the season and Wayne's third of the game. Boal sealed the deal for the Warriors with her second goal of the night at 9:38 of the second period. DiPietro and Rachel Benninger earned assists on the play.

Valery Turcotte was flawless in net for the Warriors as she stopped all 13 of the Purple Eagles' shots.

On Saturday, Warrior fans were treated to another exemplary netminder performance as Tiffany Thompson stopped 19 Niagara shots. After a quiet first period, Thompson's only allowed goal came just twelve seconds into the second period, and the Warriors trailed for the first time in the series.

Laura Monk retaliated for the Warriors at 8:47 of the second period while on a 5-on-3 man advantage. Monk gained control of the puck during a scramble in front of the net and lit the lamp for the Warriors. Boal and DiPietro earned assists on Monk's goal.

Boal and DiPietro combined once more in the game. They set up Poyton to put the game away for the Warriors at 4:45 of the third period.

Thompson and the Warrior defense did not waver for the rest of the game, including a successful battle against a 5-on-3 Niagara advantage.

The Warriors (12-13-5, 4-2-2 CHA) will host the Robert Morris Colonials this weekend.

Ferris ekes out one point against Ohio State; Western manages the same against UAF

The weekend was only slightly kind to the Michigan west side teams: Western Michigan earned a 1-1 tie against University of Alaska-Fairbanks on Friday, only to suffer a 5-3 loss on Saturday. Similarly, Ferris State skated to a 3-3 tie with the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday and then dropped a 3-2 decision on Saturday evening. These results find both teams in the lower half of the CCHA heading into tournament play.

Bulldogs

Friday's contest started well for Ferris State. Greg Rallo capitalized on a power play to score his 16th goal of the season and put the Bulldogs on the board. Dan Riedel and Corey Couturier were credited with the assists. A few minutes later, Jeremy Scherlinck (pictured) set up Mark Bomersback to widen Ferris's lead. Three straight goals for the host Buckeyes seemed to turn the game in the opposite direction, but Scherlinck's power play tally at 12:14 of the second period tied the game up.

Ferris goaltender Mitch O'Keefe, who would finish the night with 15 saves, staved off all Ohio State's shots for the rest of the game (including one in overtime), but his teammates could not light the lamp and the game ended in a 3-3 tie.

Scherlinck got Saturday's game underway with his third point of the weekend: he combined with Matt Verdone to set up Adam Welch on the power play. Welch continued to make the most of extra-man opportunities--at 12:39 of the second period, he set up Zac Pearson for the Bulldogs' second goal of the night. Adam Miller was also credited with an assist.

Just like Friday, Ohio State responded with three consecutive goals; but unlike Friday, those goals would go unanswered, and Ferris had to settle for the 3-2 loss. O'Keefe finished with 31 saves.

Ferris (14-13-7; 9-11-6 CCHA) will face Michigan next weekend in their last regular-season series of the year.

Broncos

Though Western managed only a point against UAF on Friday, it was a hard-fought game and a point they were glad to earn. Going into the final period, the Nanooks had outshot the Broncos 15-7 and beat Western goalie Dan Bellissimo for a one-goal lead.

But at 6:29 of the third period, Brian Bicek connected with Kevin Labatte to set up Brett John for his first season goal. Western outshot UAF 5-3 in overtime, but could not convert. Bellissimo, however, remained steady, finished with 26 saves, and helped preserve the tie for the Broncos.

WMU coach Jim Culhane praised his team's effort. “UAF is a big, physical team and we earned a valuable point playing in a tough environment on the road," he said.

On Saturday night, UAF established a two-goal lead before Dave Krisky netted his fourth of the season to put the Broncos on the board. Paul Szczechura and Ryan Mahrle earned assists on the play.

Down 3-1 heading in to the final period, Mahrle and Jeff LoVecchio set up Jason Moul to pull the Broncos within a goal. A 16:14 Nanook goal was answered forty seconds later by Szczechura, who scored with a little help from Jonathan Lupa and Steve Silver.

After stopping 31 shots, Bellissimo was pulled by Culhane in a last try to send the goal to overtime, but an empty-net goal sealed the 5-3 loss for the Broncos.

Western (7-22-5, 6-16-4 CCHA) will host Nebraska-Omaha next weekend in their final regular season series.

Michigan musters just a point at UNO

The Michigan Wolverines could only manage one point last weekend at Nebraska-Omaha as U-M lost Friday night and then tied the following evening.

The Wolverines battled back from a 3-0 deficit in the third period, but gave up the game-winning goal six seconds after tying the contest Friday and suffered a 4-3 loss. Matt Hunwick scored twice and Jack Johnson netted the other. Goaltender Noah Ruden made 18 stops in goal.

"It was obviously a big disappointment," Michigan head coach Red Berenson said. "We had our ups and downs in the game. We didn't get off to a good start and they did. Then we made it difficult for ourselves by being down three goals, but we came back. We made a great effort in the last seven or eight minutes. That was the best hockey we played in the whole game. We had the momentum and then to give up a goal like that is a back-breaker."

Saturday night, Chad Kolarik led all scorers with a goal and two assists, senior captain Andrew Ebbett had a goal and an assist and David Rohlfs (pictured) two assists in the 4-4 deadlock. T.J. Hensick and Travis Turnbull also scored and Ruden finished with 28 saves.

"It's not good enough to get one point out of a possible four," said Ebbett. "The mood isn't very good right now. We're just really disappointed, especially after having a lead. I thought we played a whole good game up until then. We got a couple bad breaks and that's kind of the way the season is going right now. We're not getting the bounces."

The Wolverines (18-12-4, 13-9-4 CCHA) need one point out of their last series this weekend against Ferris State in order to clinch a top-four finish and a first-round bye in the CCHA playoffs. Friday night's game is in Big Rapids, while Saturday's is at Yost Ice Arena and on Fox Sports Net Detroit.