MTSU club hockey (6-2) swept Lynn University (1-3) at the Ford Ice Center in Antioch, Tennessee, this weekend.
The weekend sweep extended the Blue Raiders’ win streak to six. MTSU secured the series sweep thanks to some overtime heroics of graduate forward Matthew Siciliano.
“[The win] feels great. We really battled hard in both games, lots of physical plays,” MTSU forward Keenan Rosas said. “Not the best we’ve played, but we came out with the W, and that’s all that matters.
MTSU outscored the Knights 15-8 in the weekend series. The Blue Raiders’ penalty kill came up huge, scoring two shorthanded goals for the first time this season.
Game 1
The Blue Raiders started fast as forward Ethan DeMumbrum scored after a defensive miscue by the Knights behind the net. The scoring did not stop there, as Middle Tennessee kept rolling and netted three straight goals to come away with a 4-0 lead after one period.
MTSU forward Tommy Chunchukov netted the loose puck off the blueline slapshot by defenseman Jacob Schenk to increase the Middle Tennessee lead to 5-0 a minute into the second.
Lynn forward Benjamin Merrill stopped the skid for the Knights as he beat MTSU goaltender Ayden Kopec glove side to cut into the Blue Raider lead. The Knights continued to apply pressure with another quick goal to make the score 5-2.
Blue Raider forward Kierian Ogle scored with a minute remaining to bring the Middle Tennessee lead back up to four. At the end of the second period, the score favored MTSU 6-2.
Less than a minute into the third, Siciliano buried a rebound in front of the net to extend the Blue Raider lead to 7-2. Rosas sealed the first win of the weekend with a shorthanded score on the breakaway.
Game 2
Each offense had multiple scoring opportunities early in the first period, but MTSU goaltender Grant Williams and Lynn goaltender Brody Dickson made key saves to keep the score knotted at zero through the first half of the period.
A penalty from MTSU forward Clay Stalzer put the Raiders on the penalty kill. Just 40 seconds later, Chunchukov delivered home a shorthanded goal to put MTSU ahead 1-0 with six minutes remaining in the first.
Another Middle Tennessee penalty came back to hurt the Blue Raiders as Merrill converted on the man advantage to even the score to 1-1. Lynn struck again just a minute later to extend the lead to 2-1 with two minutes remaining in the period.
With just over a minute remaining in the first frame, Middle Tennessee defenseman Larsen Smidt found forward Matthew Siciliano in the crease to even the score at 2-2 at the end of the first period.
The second period started fast for the Blue Raiders, two straight goals in under a minute pushed the MTSU lead to 4-2 just two minutes in. After momentum shifted in favor of MTSU, each side played physically down the stretch, with multiple penalties in the middle of the second.
The Knights cut into the Middle Tennessee lead as defenseman Cole Dickson squeezed a shot past Williams. After a lengthy delay due to a loose piece of glass along the boards, MTSU held onto a slim 4-3 lead after two frames of play.
The third period featured numerous scoring opportunities, but ended without a goal. Williams stood tall in goal for the Blue Raiders until Knight forward Jarret Scoppettuolo delivered the game equalizer with two minutes to go. After Scoppettuolo’s score, neither team risked aggressive forechecks, opting to hold the tie into the intermission.
Overtime opened with both teams skating four-on-four instead of the usual five. Without the extra skater, the pace of play forced both goaltenders to make key saves to keep the game level.
“Honestly, it’s one of those where I kind of blacked out a little bit,” Siciliano said. “We got a good faceoff win, I had some ice, took it, turned the last defenseman inside out, and took a shot where I did not think the goalie was expecting it. It ended up going in.”
With 16.3 seconds remaining, Siciliano split two defenders and powered in the game-winning goal in overtime. MTSU players flooded the boards as a frenzy broke out on the ice.
Middle Tennessee will take on the University of Tennessee Volunteers (4-4) in an in-state rivalry matchup on Oct. 17-18, at the Antioch Ice Center.
“It’s probably our biggest game of the season,” Siciliano said. “They’re a division up from us, and if we want to make a run at nationals, we’ve got to win or at least make it close.”
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