Freshman forward Josh Giacomin scored two goals Saturday evening in the Foresters' 4-1 win over Trine University to cap off a four-point weekend and hold first place in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association South Division standings.
For the second straight game the Foresters registered a shorthanded goal, and Saturday's came from Giacomin. He collected the puck just outside of his blue line, rushed into the zone, and snapped a wrister from the left side that beat the goalie low glove, giving the Foresters a 1-0 lead at the 7:00 mark. The shorthanded tally was Lake Forest's sixth of the season, which ranks tied-for-fourth out of 84 NCAA Division III hockey teams. Shots on goal were tied 9-9 after the first 20 minutes.
Giacomin scored again at 7:05 in the second period, collecting a loose puck in the high slot off a shot from sophomore defenseman Mark DerManulian. Three penalties were called in the middle frame, but neither team capitalized. The Foresters went into the locker room with a 2-0 lead after the second.
The final stanza was scoreless until senior forward Cody Guidorzi received a beautiful drop pass from fellow senior forward Bron Loiselle at the left circle and beat the goaltender at 10:25, increasing the lead to 3-0. Senior forward John Nugent then tucked home his first of the year just 69 seconds later, making the score 4-0. Trine denied Forester senior goaltender George Argiropoulos a shutout with a 5-on-3 goal at 14:55.
Argiropoulos stopped 19 of 20 shots on goal on the night and is now 4-1-2 with a .942 save percentage on the year.
The Foresters improved their overall record to 8-5-4 and NCHA mark to 6-2-2. Trine fell to 7-9-1 overall and 3-7 in the league.
Lake Forest will be at home again next weekend, hosting Marian University Friday night at 7:30 and Lawrence University at 4:00 Saturday afternoon.