Bryon Center, MI – The Bryn Athyn College men's ice hockey team defeated #4 McKendree University, 7-2 in the first game of the ACHA Ice Hockey Nationals Tuesday night.
Jayson Marbach led the Lions with one goal and two assists. Justin Nugent scored two goals. Connor Buick, Travis McCurdy, and Anthony Notorfrancesco put in one goal and one assist. Paul Napierkowski and Anthony Astorino notched two assists each.
Buick was named Howies Hockey Tape Player of the Game. He expressed." We played well today. Everyone kept pushing to get better as the game went on. It was a good win to start with and I think we will continue to get better as the week moves on."
Bryn Athyn got on the board first at the 7:15 mark, Marbach passed a loose puck into the slot from the red line, Notorfrancesco one timed the goal, bar down to give the Lions their lead. At the 14:06 mark, Bryn Athyn won the faceoff in Bearcats zone on the power play, Astorino took a shot from the point and Nugent deflected the puck in the goal to extend the Bryn Athyn lead to 2-0. The Lions would end the period, outshooting McKendree 16-8. Bryn Athyn went 1-2 on the power play.
Notorfrancesco took the puck down the right side with speed, passed the puck to Marbach, who snuck it in five hole to give the Lions a 3-0 lead at 4:10 of the second period. Four minutes later, McKendree scored to chip away at the Lions lead, 3-1. Bryn Athyn scored back to back goals at the 12:01 and 12:35 mark from Ebersole and Nugent to build the lead to 5-1. With less than two minutes left in the period, the Bearcats scored to bring the game with three goals.
The Lions took control of the third period, scoring two goals and keeping Bearcats to zero. Buick scored at the 6:55 mark, he picks up a pass from McCurdy on the blue line, toe dragged a defender and beats the goalie left side top self. With four minutes left in the game, McCurdy scored on win the game 7-2.
Steven Altman made 23 saves in net for the Lions.
Bryn Athyn will take on Kennesaw State tomorrow afternoon at 1:15 pm.