Roosevelt Swept By Purdue Northwest

BENSENVILLE, Ill. – The Roosevelt University ACHA Division 1 men's hockey team fell in both ends of a home-and-home weekend series against Purdue Northwest last Friday and Saturday.

PURDUE NORTHWEST 5, ROOSEVELT 2 – FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

Roosevelt could not cash in on a dominant first period at the Kube Sports Complex in Hammond, Ind., and ended up falling to the onslaught from the Pride over the final 40 minutes. The Lakers (7-13) held a 13-7 edge in shots in the first period, but were unable to find the back of the net against Purdue Northwest. The game flipped in the second period as the Pride found their skating legs and started to dictate play a bit more.

The Pride opened the scoring a little less than six minutes into the second period and doubled their lead right before the midway point of the frame. Danny Bdzoch scored twice in 1:16 to tie the game, but Purdue Northwest responded just 23 seconds after Bdzoch's second goal to reclaim the lead. The Pride added one more right before the end of the second, converting four of their 28 shots in the frame into goals. 

An early third-period goal provided the final margin for the Pride as they kept up the pressure to outshoot Roosevelt 15-12 in the final 20 minutes. Nicholas Kotz stood tall in goal for the Lakers, stopping 45 of the 50 shots he faced while the Lakers managed just two goals on 36 shots in the loss.

PURDUE NORTHWEST 6, ROOSEVELT 3 – SATURDAY, JANUARY 21

Saturday's game was a tough pill to swallow for the Lakers after they nearly made a comeback in the third period at The Edge Ice Arena. Purdue Northwest scored twice in the first period, including one with 25 seconds left in the stanza, to lead 2-0 after 20 minutes. The late goal struck again for the Pride in the second as a tally with just six seconds left gave the Pride a 4-1 lead after the second period. Danny Bdzoch scored the Lakers' only goal in the first two periods with four minutes left in the frame.

Timothy Laskowski scored a little more than two minutes into the third to give the Lakers some life before Bdzoch added his fourth goal of the weekend with seven minutes left to cut the deficit to one. However, Purdue Northwest scored with four minutes left in the game then again with six ticks remaining on the clock to secure the victory. Paolo Suppa made 45 stops on 51 shots in net for the Lakers, who scored three times of 44 shots themselves.

Gage McNeish had two assists in Saturday's loss with Quinn Haller, Tanner Hallett and Griffin Lehet all adding assists as well in Saturday's defeat. Nick Privitera had an assist in Friday's loss for the only other point scorer in that setback.

The Lakers return to the ice this weekend against Oakland with a two-game series in Rochester, Mich. Friday's game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday's contest is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. against the Grizzlies.