ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Trine University men's hockey team faced another setback as the visiting team from Lake Forest College handed them a 3-1 defeat.
The two team's both received 5-on-3 opportunities during the first period and both would convert those chances into goals. The Foresters did so first, when in the ninth minute of play they moved the puck around the offensive zone before firing home the shot for the goal.
In the 19th minute the Thunder got their own opportunity. Senior Hunter Payment (Monroe, Mich.) started the play working the puck at the point before passing it off to classmate Garrett Hallford (McKinney, Texas) who fired the puck toward the net. The puck would bounce off of two different defenders before settling in position for freshman Bobby Price (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) to put it home and knot the contest at one.
The second period saw both team's offenses struggle with neither reaching double digit shot totals, giving the goalies a chance to keep the score at 1-1.
The third period started the same as the second with neither team finding offensive purchase, but the Thunder did start to build an advantage in the offensive zone. The pressed that advantage on a power play opportunity starting in the 12th minute, but Lake Forest was able to hold firm. Disaster struck when just as the penalty ended the puck ended up free in the neutral zone and the man out of the box collected and gave the Foresters the 2-1 lead.
In the final minutes of play the Thunder pulled their goalie in favor of the extra attacker in hopes of tying the game. Instead the Foresters iced the game scoring the empty net goal to go up 3-1.
The Thunder fall to 14-7-1 overall and 8-6-1 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) play. They will look to rebound tomorrow, Saturday, February 5 when they host Lake Forest again. Opening puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.