No. 1 MTSU club hockey (12-2) captured the College Hockey South Veterans Cup for the first time in program history, defeating Kennesaw State University (4-8) in the championship game, 13-1.
The Veterans Cup is the second trophy in a calendar year hoisted by the Blue Raiders. MTSU outscored its opponents 19-2, highlighted by two hat tricks. MTSU forward Kieran Ogle took home the MVP trophy, posting a four-goal performance over the weekend. The Veterans Cup victory extends Middle Tennessee’s win streak to 12 games.
“This is our first Veterans Cup win, so with the College Hockey South trophy and the Vets Cup trophy, we’re just starting to collect them,” MTSU head coach JJ Murray said.
Game 1 vs. the University of Tennessee Volunteers
The Blue Raiders struck early to open the Veterans Cup as Linden Palmer spun past a defender, sending a pass to Tommy Chunchukov, who scored, giving MTSU a 1-0 lead. Forward JJ Landers added another goal on a give-and-go to push the lead to two goals late in the first.
Middle Tennessee defenseman Anthony Banas scored from the faceoff dot halfway through the second period. A few minutes later, MTSU forward Ethan DeMumbrum deked past a defender, putting a pass right on the stick of Brendan Ogle, extending the Blue Raiders’ lead to 4-0.
Tennessee forward Max Campo fired a shot over the pad of goalie Grant Williams to cut the deficit to three heading into the third for the Volunteers. Despite the Volunteers’ goal, the final frame belonged to Middle Tennessee as the Blue Raiders scored twice to clinch a championship berth.
Game 2 vs. the Kennesaw State University Owls
The Blue Raiders’ top line struck first when Palmer fired a shot from the slot, giving MTSU an early 1-0 lead. Kieran Ogle scored quickly off the ensuing faceoff to boost the lead to 2-0. Middle Tennessee defenseman Yuli Lima crashed the crease and buried a rebound to extend the MTSU advantage to three.
MTSU goaltender Ayden Kopec made key saves in the closing minutes of the first as both teams traded scoring opportunities. With 14 seconds left in the first frame, Lima struck again on the power play, securing a four-goal lead going into the first intermission.
MTSU opened the floodgates in the second, tallying five goals. Midway through the third, Lima completed his first-career hat trick, finishing a drop pass from Matt Siciliano.
“It was my first goal in a year and 10 months for not only my school, but also my country,” Lima said. “I ended up getting a hat trick by the second period. Celebrating with those guys was truly emotional.”
Kieran Ogle sped past two Owl defenders on the breakaway to secure the second hat trick of the day for the Blue Raiders. MTSU scored twice before Kennesaw forward Ashton Nulty spoiled Kopec’s shutout late in the third, making the score 12-1 with under three minutes remaining.
With 15 seconds left in the game, the Blue Raiders added another goal on the 67th shot of the game, and the bench erupted, hitting the “six-seven” hand sign as the final seconds ticked away.
“It wasn’t the best sportsmanship because our bench went a little bit wild, but they wanted that 67th shot,” Murray said.
MTSU will travel to Bellevue, Tennessee, to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores (3-9) in an in-state rivalry matchup on Nov. 15-16, at the Bellevue Ice Center.
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