Several freshmen made immediate impacts as men's ice hockey started its season with a solid 5-0 shutout win over Missouri State Saturday night at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri.

Familiar faces combined on the first scoring play for the Lions though, when seniors Vegard Faret and Hayden Ursulak set up Colton Craigo at 10:33 in the first.  The score stayed 1-0 Lindenwood through the rest of the opening period and most of the second until the Lions scored twice in the final 17-seconds.  Freshman David Gagnon and senior Ryan Finnegan put the puck on the blade of freshman Mitch Allard who found the back of the net for his first collegiate goal at 19:43. Zach Martin and freshman Caige Sterzer then created an opportunity for Craigo to sound the horn for his second of the game with just one second on the clock to give Lindenwood a 3-0 advantage at the end of the period.

The lead ballooned to four early in the final frame when Faret lit the lamp at 2:41 with help from Sam Watson and freshman Caleb Price, and then freshman Jackson Wozniak closed out scoring for the Lions with his first collegiate goal with 28-seconds remaining in regulation, assisted by Kyler Newman and Craigo, who led the Lindenwood offense with three points overall in the contest.

Stephen Friedland stopped all 20 shots he faced to earn the win for the Lions in goal as Lindenwood outshot the Bears 38-20.  

The two teams face off again Sunday afternoon at the Centene Community Ice Center.