Lakers Sweep Home Opening Series From Eastern Michigan in ACHA Division Men's Hockey
BENSENVILLE, Ill. – The Roosevelt University ACHA Division 1 men's hockey team swept its home opening weekend series from Eastern Michigan University, winning 5-2 on Friday, October 7 and 10-1 on Saturday, October 8 at The Edge Ice Arena. The victories even the Lakers' overall record at 2-2 early in the 2022-23 season.
ROOSEVELT 5, EASTERN MICHIGAN – FRIDAY (10/7)
Despite outshooting the Eagles 19-7 in the first period of the series opener, the game remained scoreless at the end of the period.
The Lakers wasted little time in the second period with Gage McNeish scoring just 47 seconds into the stanza on assists from Quinn Haller and Max Finner. Haller then lit the lamp with five minutes remaining in the period with Finner picking up his second assist and Tanner Hallett also earning a point on the goal.
Eastern Michigan tied up the game at 2-2 with goals at the 5:01 and 13:51 marks of the third period and the two teams remained tied until the final two minutes. Haller gave RU a 3-2 lead with his second goal of the contest with a minute and half left to play, and Zachary Brumm and Chase Caravella picked up the assists on the game winning goal.
The Lakers were not done, adding an empty net insurance goal by Tanner Hallett with 30 seconds to go and Haller completed his hat trick with a last second tally for the 5-2 final score. Griffin Lehet had an assist on Hallett's score with Finner also assisting for his third of the game.
Paolo Suppa stopped 25 of 27 shots in net for the Lakers to earn the victory.
ROOSEVELT 10, EASTERN MICHIGAN – SATURDAY (10/8)
The Lakers jumped out to a 2-0 lead just over nine minutes into Saturday night's game with Danny Bdzoch scoring just over five minutes in and Frank Moore also tallying at the 9:15 mark. Haller and Caravella picked up assists on both goals.
However, the Eagles cut the margin to 2-1 with a goal at 13:29, but that would be the visitors' last goal of the game, while Bdzoch added his second tally with 52 seconds to go in the opening period on a Nick Privitera assist.
The second period saw Bdzoch add his third and fourth goals of the game with both coming in the first three minutes of play. Haller and Cade Swygert assisted his third goal, while Finner and Caravella set up his fourth tally. Moore followed with his second goal of the contest at 6:23 on assist by Ryan Butt and Privitera with Max Gracer closing out the second period scoring on a Nathan Brown assist for a 7-1 lead.
Bdzoch remained on fire, scoring just 29 seconds into the third period for his fifth goal of the game with Finner adding his second assist of the game and fifth of the series. Zachary Demarce got into the act with a goal at 3:06 from Lehet and Swygert, while Haller closed out the scoring with his fourth goal of the weekend with just under three minutes to play with Demarce and Lehet assisting.
Nick Kotz picked up the win,making 26 saves between the pipes for the Lakers.
NEXT UP
The Lakers continue with their home stand, hosting Rochester University (Mich.) on Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 16 at The Edge. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:20pm and 7:30pm respectively and fans can watch both games live here.