Cooper Pierson and
Jake Rozzi had two points apiece, and first-year
Luke Posthumus scored his first career goal, but a late tally from the visitors sent the St. Lawrence University men's hockey team to a 3-2 loss against Maryville on Friday night at Appleton Arena.
St. Lawrence fell to 0-1-0, while Maryville improved to 1-0-0.
The Saints got off to a strong start, generating several quality scoring chances. Pierson nearly opened the scoring at the 5:20 mark when he found a shooting lane, but his shot rang off the crossbar.
Shortly after, St. Lawrence went on the power play and capitalized. With the man advantage, Rozzi controlled the puck to the left of Maryville goalie Bruno Bruveris and fired a pass that caught the skate of
Isaac Tremblay in front of the net. The puck eventually found Pierson's stick, and he shoveled it home for a 1-0 lead.
The Scarlet and Brown nearly doubled their advantage late in the first period when
Andrew Brown's shot struck the post, sending the game to the first intermission with St. Lawrence ahead 1-0.
Early in the second period, the Saints extended their lead at the 5:18 mark. Rozzi carried the puck in the St. Lawrence zone and fed Pierson, who raced up the left wing. The sophomore entered the offensive zone, spun away from a defender and delivered a backhand pass across the ice to Posthumus, who finished the play on the doorstep.
The goal was the first of Posthumus' collegiate career, while Rozzi's two assists were his first points in a Saints uniform.
In a recurring theme throughout the night, Rozzi and
Gabe Westling each hit the iron on scoring chances that kept the game at 2-0.
Maryville was shorthanded in the final minutes of the second period, but instead of St. Lawrence extending its lead, Campbell Mclean forced a turnover and set up Antonie Dorion to cut the deficit to 2-1.
After sustained pressure from the Scarlet and Brown to open the third period, Maryville went on the power play at 8:39 and pulled even at 2-2 on Dorion's second goal of the game.
For the fifth time in the contest, a Saints scoring chance hit the post, as Filip Juříček nearly restored the lead at the 11:32 mark.
Following the media timeout, the teams traded opportunities before Maryville scored the game-winner with 1:01 remaining in regulation. Off an offensive-zone faceoff, Gustavs Ozolins collected the puck at the blue line and fired a shot that deflected off a St. Lawrence player and into the net for the 3-2 victory.
Cameron Smith made 25 saves for the Saints, while Bruveris stopped 27 shots for Maryville.
St. Lawrence finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while Maryville went 1-for-3.
The two teams will meet again Saturday at Appleton Arena in an exhibition contest scheduled for 5 p.m.
