Freshman forward Joe Sardina scored his team-leading eighth goal of the year but the Lake Forest College men's hockey team fell 5-2 at Adrian College Friday night.
With time expiring on the Bulldogs' first power play of the game a defender floated a wrister from the point that found its way to the back of the net. Adrian added two goals in the final five minutes of the opening frame to head into the first intermission up 3-0. The Foresters were outshot 14-10 in the period.
Lake Forest senior forward George Gerasimou continued his stellar play this season when he won a battle in the defensive zone on the wall. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native slid the puck up to junior forward Drew Cleereman in the neutral zone, where he headmanned a pass up to Sardina. Alone with the goaltender, Sardina roofed one over the glove to trim the Forester deficit to two. Now with eight goals on the season, the freshman from Red Oak, Texas, leads all Northern Collegiate Hockey Association freshman in goals. The Bulldogs, however, responded with a goal of their own at 15:10 went into the locker room with a 4-1 lead at the second intermission.
Adrian registered its fifth shorthanded tally of the year on a highlight reel shot that caught the top right corner at 6:48 of the third period. With time winding down in the game junior forward Cody Guidorzi took a hit to make a play on the half wall in the offensive zone, rolling the puck up to sophomore defenseman Connor Duncan on the right point. Duncan wound up and blasted in his fourth goal of the year. Duncan and Guidorzi now have a goal and an assist each in the last two contests.
After dropping the game to Adrian, Lake Forest fell to 8-8-0 overall and 5-4-0 in NCHA play. Adrian improved to 12-5-0 overall and 8-1-0 in the conference.
The Foresters will travel to Angola, Indiana, to take on first year program Trine University. Puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m. (ET).
by Cam McGuire