Foresters Pull Out Overtime Victory over Lawrence

Photos by Yanna Glaspy
Photos by Yanna Glaspy

Senior forward Austin Aksoy and sophomore forward Josh Giacomin combined for seven points and the game-winning goal in a 5-4 overtime victory over visiting Lawrence University Saturday night.

Giacomin assisted Aksoy 27 seconds into the extra frame to five the Foresters the victory and a sweep in the weekend series. Aksoy, who now has six goals on the season, also scored late in the second period and Giacomin netted his first of the year just two-and-a-half minutes into the game. They helped set up each other's goals and Giacomin added another helper for his first career four-point performance.

Lake Forest junior forward Kyler Magus scored for the fourth time this season and senior forward Tyer O'Neill lit the lamp for the first time in 2019-20 to give the home team a 3-0 lead late in the opening period. Nelson's score came shortly after a major penalty was assessed to one of the Vikings and just a minute before the visitors got on the scoreboard with a shorthanded goal, making it a 3-1 game at the first intermission.

After Lawrence closed to within one 12 minutes into the second stanza, Aksoy restored the Foresters' two-goal advantage with 2:11 remaining in the period.

The Vikings pulled back to within a score at 8:52 in the third period and tied the game on a power play goal at the 13:58 mark.

The Foresters had a 32-26 advantage in shots on the night. Lake Forest junior goaltender Boyd DiClemente made 22 saves in the contest, including a crucial stop in the opening moments of overtime, to earn the victory and improve to 9-1-1 on the year.

Lake Forest is now 9-2-1 overall and 6-1-0 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association play. Lawrence fell to 3-8-1 overall and 2-5-1 in the league.

It was the final game of 2019 for the Foresters, who will begin 2020 with conference games at Trine University January 3-4.