After winning 12 straight games over a span of six weeks, men's ACHA Division II ice hockey was upended by Florida Gulf Coast 4-3 Saturday night at Hertz Arena in Fort Myers, Florida. In a contest that featured 84-minutes of penalties with 66 of those minutes coming in the final period, there were only four official power plays and just one power play goal.

The Lions built a 1-0 advantage early in the first when Gage Vierzba and Anthony Tinsley set up Ryan Granville at 4:39. Three minutes later, the first of several matching minors was called, setting a physical tone that only increased as the game continued. Neither team scored as a result of those calls or the next set of matching minors at the 13:36 mark, but Lindenwood did add another goal at even strength at 17:06 when Logan Millhausen sounded the horn on a play set up by Carter Walby and Tinsley.

The Lions finished the first 20-minutes with a 2-0 lead and carried it through the midway point of the second, but a high-sticking penalty on Tinsley opened the door for the Eagles and they took advantage with a power play goal at 11:27. Lindenwood rebuilt a two-goal advantage a few minutes later when Chase McClellan scored off a pass from Jacob Behnen at 14:51, but Florida Gulf Coast answered with an even-strength effort with just 1:08 remaining in the period. It was not long after the restart that the continued physical play erupted into more with two players on each team getting called for roughing.

That tension carried over into the beginning of the third and the ongoing battle seemed to turn momentum in favor of the Eagles. They knotted the contest at 3-3 at the 48-second mark and then continued their pressure, but FGCU was called for cross-checking at 3:22 and then a player from each side was called for roughing in the aftermath. The result was the only Lions power play of the game, but they could not take advantage and that proved costly. Moments after killing off the penalty, the Eagles scored to take a 4-3 lead.

With 14:04 remaining in regulation, Lindenwood had plenty of time to respond, but could not find an equalizer. Both squads did total 52-minutes in penalties down the stretch with even the FGCU goaltender being called for roughing. The game ended with three Lions and one Eagle off the ice with 10-minute game misconduct penalties.
Lindenwood outshot Florida Gulf Coast 30-29 and Cole Wheaton stopped 25 of the 29 shots he faced in a losing effort.

With the loss, the Lions dropped to 14-2 on the season. They return to the Centene Community Ice Center against Kentucky November 23-24. Lindenwood still carries a nine-game winning streak on home ice into the series. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday in Maryland Heights, Missouri.