After more than 31 minutes of scoreless play, Forester senior defenseman Ben Certo scored what turned out to be the official game-winning goal and Lake Forest went on to win 5-0 at Finlandia University Friday night.
Certo's score at 11:34 in the second period was his third of the season. Fellow senior defenseman Andrew Stein doubled the visitors' lead at the 17:56 mark. Sophomore forward Jack Lewis assisted on Stein's second score of the season. Senior forward Luke Swardenski then netted a power play goal with just four seconds remaining in the period to make the score 3-0. Swardenski's team-high fifth goal of the year was set up by junior forward Ian Pichel and junior defenseman Robert Wiener.
A pair of Foresters scored for the first time this season in the third period. Junior forward Alec DeAngelo lit the lamp at 15:19 and sophomore defenseman Mark Esshaki at 17:23. DeAngelo's score was unassisted and freshman forward Shawn Nelson set up Esshaki.
Lake Forest out-shot the Lions 12-8 in the opening period, 9-2 in the second, and 8-2 in the final 20 minutes.
Forester junior goaltender Leo Podolsky stopped all 18 shots on goal he faced for his first shutout of the year and the third of his career. He improved to 3-2-2 with a 1.72 goals against average and .948 save percentage on the season.
Lake Forest is now 3-3-2 overall and 2-2-1 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association play. Finlandia fell to 1-7-0 overall and 1-4-0 in the league. The same two teams will face off again Saturday afternoon at 4:00 (EST).