The Lions faced some tough competition, but managed to sweep all four games they played at the Midwest Collegiate Roller Hockey League Inter-Regional January 28-29 at Hat Trick Hockey in Palatine, Illinois.

Lindenwood defeated Florida Gulf Coast 7-2 Saturday morning.  In a game that was very competitive early on, the Lions were able to pull away in the third period.  Anthony Erace put Lindenwood on the board late in the opening frame for the only goal of the first 12 minutes.  The score stayed 1-0 until the Eagles answered midway through the second on the power play, but Jalen Krogman and Korey Klable gave the Lions a 3-1 advantage with shots at 8:18 and 10:29.  Lindenwood backed that up with four more unanswered in the third period from Daniel Rosse, Cody Page, Steve Farina, and the second of the game from Krogman.  Florida Gulf Coast added a goal in the final minute of the game, but the outcome had already been settled. 

Krogman was named the #1 Star with two goals and an assist.  Rosse added a goal and assist, as did Erace.  Lindenwood outshot the Eagles 36-14 and Paul Town stopped 12-14 to earn the win between the pipes.

In the second game of the day, the Lions stopped Grand Valley State by a similar score, 7-2.  In a defensive first period plagued by Lindenwood penalties, the Lakers were the team with the only goal, getting it on the power play.  The Lions responded in the second with three straight in the first seven minutes of play.  Austin Halterman lit the lamp first at 3:25 and was followed with unassisted efforts from Krogman and Erace at 5:21 and 6:44.  After Grand Valley State made it 3-2, Trenton Matteson scored with 51 seconds remaining to give Lindenwood a 4-2 lead.  The Lions pulled away in the final period with a power play goal from Max Romanowicz in the opening minute, followed by scores from Halterman and Matteson, who were both named Stars of the Game with two goals each.

Erace was given #1 Star honors with a goal and two assists and Town stopped 16-18 pucks as Lindenwood outshot the Eagles 25-18.

The final contest of the day was a tester as the Lions outlasted Michigan State 5-4 in overtime.  Lindenwood trailed by three goals midway through the game, but rallied to force the extra time.  It was all MSU early with two in the first period and an early tally in the second for a 3-0 lead, but the Lions rallied with a Romanowicz blast and a Matteson power play goal to make it 3-2 at the end of the period.  Lindenwood tied the game at three when Rosse scored at 2:32 in the third, and the Lions took the lead 19 seconds later on an Erace shot, but the Spartans found their equalizer with 4:31 left in regulation.  The Lindenwood defense clamped down in overtime and didn't allow a shot on goal, but Michigan State only gave up two on net, but the second one was a game winner from Matteson at 8:33.

For those heroics, he was named the #1 Star with two goals and an assist.  Krogman helped the offense with four assists, and Romanowicz added a goal and an assist.  Town earned his third victory of the day with 14 saves on 18 shots as the Lions outshot the Spartans 31-18.

Lindenwood played just one game on Sunday, and it was a 5-2 win over Miami (Ohio).  Despite the low-scoring affair, the Lions controlled the contest throughout by building a lead and then playing defense down the stretch.  Erace gave Lindenwood its first goal at 2:26 in the first.  Scores from Halterman, Page, and Krogman built the advantage to 4-0 in the second before the Redhawks broke the shutout on the power play.  Krogman added his second of the game with a minute left for a 5-1 lead.  The Lions didn't score in the third period, but held Miami to a single tally to secure the win.

Krogman earned #1 Star honors with his two goals, while Erace and Halterman each scored once and added an assist.  Town stopped 16-18 to complete his perfect weekend of goaltending as Lindenwood outshot the Redhawks 30-18.

With the four victories, the Lions improved to 13-1.  They return to action in the Great Plains Collegiate Inline Hockey League (GPCIHL) February 10 and 12.  Lindenwood will face the University of Missouri at 7 p.m. Friday night, followed by Bethel (Tenn.) at 10 p.m.  Games against the University of Missouri – St. Louis and Farmingdale College are scheduled on Sunday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. respectively.  All contests will take place at Midwest Sport Hockey in Ballwin, Missouri.