#4 SVSU club hockey faced #1 Northwood University in the Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League playoffs semifinal on Feb. 20. After goals from SVSU forwards Ethan Smith and Pierce Ashcroft, SVSU lost 6-2. Northwood advanced to the GLCHL Championship game.
SVSU captain Joe Blair commented on the team’s struggles this season.
“I think our biggest struggle was finding a consistent groove,” he said. “We had so many new players this year, and it looked obvious on film we had a hard time finding our jam and sticking to it to close out games.”
The first goal of the game was scored by Northwood’s Owen Croston, assisted by defensemen Adam Moule and Alex Blakenship at 8:56 into the first period. SVSU’s E. Smith answered with a goal at 13:47 into the first period, assisted by forward Brycen Smith and defenseman Ethan O’Malley. Northwood picked up a second goal with 30 seconds remaining in the period with a goal scored by forward Teagan Scheurer, assisted by defenseman Chase Temple and forward Alex Bedenko. SVSU trailed Northwood 2-1 after the first period.
The Cardinals and the Timberwolves both received a penalty in the second period. No goals were scored in the frame, and the Cardinals remained down 2-1.
Northwood’s Collin Baker opened the scoring, 3:15 into the third period, assisted by Croston and forward Cameron Duffany. After penalties to SVSU’s goaltender Brendan Cobb (served by O’Malley) and Northwood’s forward Donald Gooley, a 4-on-4 goal was scored by Northwood Captain Milos Todorovic at 7:14 into the third period. Cardinal forward Pierce Ashcroft cut the lead to two with an unassisted goal at 10:35 into the final frame.
SVSU forward Reece Furtado received a penalty for hooking at 16:19 into the period. Northwood’s Trevor Stenglein scored 31 seconds into the power play, assisted by Bryce Garber and Bedenko. With 1:45 remaining, Croston scored his second goal of the night, assisted by Duffany and Garber. SVSU lost 6-2 and was eliminated from the playoffs.
The Cardinals registered 26 shots on goal for the game. The Timberwolves registered 47.
“We felt really good after two periods,” stated Blair. “Looking back at the game it didn’t feel like a 6-2 final. We got caught on some bad plays and penalties and then the clock ran out on us.”
Northwood University beat Western Michigan University 9-2 to become back-to-back GLCHL Champions. They will go on to compete in the American Collegiate Hockey League national tournament in St. Louis, Missouri.
“I am so proud of so many of our guys this year,” said Blair. “There are so many guys I think deserve to be recognized for everything they put into the season, but I’d really like to recognize our assistant coach, Ethan Schneider. He was with us the entire season and an absolute rock for our players throughout the entire season and coaching change … He wears his heart on his sleeve for us.”
SVSU hockey will not play again this season.
“Our biggest priority in my eyes is making sure we come back refreshed and refocused after a season where a lot of us learned some important lessons,” he said. “It was the first year of college hockey for a lot of guys this year and even though we made a good push in the first game of playoffs, it wasn’t enough. I’m hoping everyone, including myself, can learn from this season and come back ready to make a deep push.”
