No. 3 Lindenwood handles No. 10 Waldorf
By Aaron Schneider
ALBERT LEA, Minn. – Lindenwood University handled the Waldorf College hockey team, pulling away in a 6-2 victory on Saturday.
Dominic Valencia and Petrus Sipila added three points each to guide the Lions (14-13-2). Lindenwood entered the matchup ranked No. 3 in the latest American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II Central Region poll.
The No. 10 Warriors (19-12) received goals from freshmen Rodney Engstrom and Ryan Veillet. Veillet and junior Spencer Johnson provided assists.
Valencia notched two goals for Lindenwood. The Lions also received scoring contributions from Sipila, John Petersson, Cole Petersen and Kyle Vesling. Vesling tallied three assists and Sipila recorded two assists. Petersson, Valencia, David Allen, Wilder Politte, Zach Mitchell and AJ Gross also turned in assists.
Sipila put Lindenwood on the scoreboard during the ninth minute of the first period when he took a pass from Vesling and put it in the back of the net. Engstrom connected on the equalizer when Veillet set him up for the score 15 minutes into the first period. Valencia broke the tie one minute later, converting on a power play. Vesling and Petersson assisted on the score.
Thirty seconds into the second period, Petersson contributed the game-winning goal on a power play to put the Lions ahead 3-1 following assists from Vesling and Allen. During the fourth minute of the second period, Valencia extended Lindenwood’s lead to 4-1 with Sipila and Politte on the assists. Veillet found the back of the net one minute later, trimming the deficit in half off an assist from Johnson. Petersen responded five minutes into the second period as he delivered a goal to put the Lions up 5-2. Mitchell and Gross provided assists.
Vesling posted a power-play goal with two minutes remaining in the game. Valencia and Sipila assisted on the score.
The Lions narrowly outshot the Warriors, 38-37. Lindenwood’s Christopher Johnansen recorded 35 saves in the win while Waldorf sophomore Ronald Paulson closed out the night with 32 saves.
The Warriors finish the regular season as they round out their series with the Lions on Sunday, starting at 4 p.m. at Albert Lea City Arena.
Lindenwood is aiming on building on last season’s ACHA Division II National Tournament semifinal appearance.
Waldorf prepares for next weekend’s Northern Collegiate Hockey League (NCHL) Tournament at Marquette, Michigan and looks to fight for its third consecutive ACHA Division II Central Region Tournament bid. The regional tournament is set for Feb. 27-28 at Rolling Meadows, Illinois.