The Lake Forest College men's hockey team was defeated 6-3 at Lawrence University Saturday night in a game both teams needed to win to advance to the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Harris Cup Playoffs.
Forester senior forward started the scoring in what turned out to be his final career game. His 10th goal of the season was assisted by freshman defenseman Ted Lauer, who earned his first career point on the play, and gave the visitors the lead with 3:31 to play in the opening period
A power play goal by Lawrence with 1:14 on the clock evened the score at one and the teams went into the locker room at the first intermission with a goal apiece.
The game's next four scores came during a 93-second span early in the second stanza. Forester sophomore forward Charlie Izaguirre started the flurry at the 2:25 mark with junior forward Jimmy Cusan assisting. Sophomore forward Davis DeKorte gave Lake Forest a 3-1 lead just 27 seconds later and his second score this season was set up by sophomore forward Shawn Nelson and senior defenseman Robert Wiener. Wiener finished the year tied with Izaguirre for the team lead with 11 assists.
Just 42 seconds passed before the Vikings began their comeback and, 24 seconds later, the score was tied at three. Things then suddenly settled down and neither team scored again in the period.
Lawrence's game-winning goal was scored 81 seconds into the third period and the home team tacked on an insurance goal at the 12:34 mark. The Foresters pulled their goaltender with 2:51 to play and the Vikings added a shorthanded empty net goal with 1:01 on the clock.
Lake Forest finished the season 10-15-0 overall and 8-12-0 in NCHA play. Lawrence is now 9-13-3 overall and the Vikings' 8-9-3 mark in the league qualified them for the postseason.
Pichel, Wiener, and fellow seniors Alec DeAngelo and Leo Podolsky will be the Foresters' only four losses to graduation in May.