Roller hockey won all four games played at a Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League (WCRHL) event on Saturday at the Peoria Sportsplex in Peoria, Arizona. The Lions stopped Arizona State 7-2 to begin the day, then shut out Grand Canyon University 6-0 and defeated the University of Arizona 9-1. Lindenwood wrapped up the day with a 5-4 overtime win in a rematch against Grand Canyon.
The Lions took an early lead over the Sun Devils in the first game on a power play.
Luke DiPasquale fed
Parker Winkelmann at 2:06 of the first. Lindenwood added to its advantage early in the second when Brolen Kooker scored off a pass from
Landon Kooker at 1:32. Arizona State answered with a goal 38 seconds later to make it 2-1 but the Lions made it a two-score advantage again when
Landon Kooker hit the back of the cage on a play set up by Brolen Kooker and
Cameron Green. A roughing penalty led to a Sun Devils power play goal with just 14 seconds remaining in the period to make it 3-2, but Lindenwood owned the final frame with four unanswered goals.
Zack Burnett scored the first of them unassisted at 3:14, then
Nick DellaMorte assisted on a Winkelmann goal at 6:56. Winkelmann completed his hat trick unassisted just nine seconds later and
Anthony Lazzaroni split the pipes at 11:43.
The Lions outshot ASU 27 to 23 with
Jadyn Clark stopping 21 of the 23 shots he faced for the victory in goal.
Parker Winkelmann was named Star No. 1 with his three-goal effort, Brolen Kooker received Star No. 2 recognition with a goal and assist, and
Landon Kooker earned Star No. 3 honors with a goal and assist.
Defense was on display in the 6-0 shutout over Grand Canyon. Lindenwood outshot the Lopes 26-9 and scored in each period. DiPasquale lit the lamp at 7:07 of the first with help from DellaMorte. Physicality was amped up in the final two periods as nine penalties were called. After an even-strength effort from
Colin Markotay off a pass from Dillon Bilek at 4:26 in the second, DellaMorte sounded the horn with a power play goal at 6:46, assisted by DiPasquale.
DiPasquale set up DellaMorte again just five seconds into the third and then those two assisted on a power play goal from Lazzaroni at 7:12. The final score came off the blade of Markotay off a pass from Brolen Kooker at 11:16.
Brett Lloyd earned the shutout win in goal with nine saves on nine shots. DellaMorte earned Star No. 1 honors with two goals and two assists, DiPasquale received Star No. 2 recognition with a goal and three assists, and Markotay was named Star No. 3 with two goals.
The Lions easily handled Arizona in the 9-1 victory, scoring four in the first, three in the second, and two in the third. DiPasquale started the effort at the two-minute mark, followed by a Lazzaroni goal unassisted at 5:11. Dillon Bilek sounded the horn 24 seconds later off a Logan Wise assist and then DiPasquale netted his second of the period on the power play at the 11:19 mark.
Landon Kooker made it 5-0 Lindenwood at 4:38 of the second. The Wildcats answered with their only goal of the contest at 5:43 before Winkelmann and Burnett added to the scoreboard unassisted at 8:28 and 9:00 respectively.
Green scored at 2:32 of the third and DellaMorte followed at 7:38 to round out the offensive effort for the Lions.
Lindenwood outshot Arizona 34 to 10 and Lloyd stopped nine of the 10 pucks he faced to get the win in goal.
Landon Kooker received Star No. 1 honors with a goal and two assists,
Nick DellaMorte earned Star No. 2 recognition with a goal and two assists, and
Luke DiPasquale was named Star No. 3 with two goals.
The Lions needed a big third period comeback and some overtime heroics in the rematch against the Lopes that wrapped up play for Lindenwood on the day. GCU jumped in front with two in the first before the Lions countered with a
Landon Kooker power play goal at 11:24, assisted by DellaMorte. The Lopes built a 3-1 advantage at 4:23 of the second, but Lindenwood again answered with a power play goal from DellaMorte at 5:58, assisted by DiPasquale. Grand Canyon regained its two-goal lead at 8:55 and it was 4-2 Lopes at the second intermission.
The Lions started their comeback early in the third when Logan Wise split the pipes off a feed from Dillon Bilek at 1:04, but they still trailed 4-3 late in the period as the game clock ticked below three minutes. The Lopes were called for tripping at the 9:48 mark and that proved to be the opening that Lindenwood needed. Just over a minute into the power play, Winkelmann took possession of the puck and struck for the equalizer at with 1:04 left in regulation.
That sent the game into overtime. Through the first eight minutes, neither team was credited with a shot on goal. The first one came off the stick of Tyler Webb and it found the back of the net for the Lions game-winner at 8:26, assisted by DiPasquale.
Lindenwood outshot Grand Canyon 34 to 21 overall, and Clark stopped 17 of 21 for a well-earned victory in goal. DellaMorte earned Star No. 1 honors with a goal and assist, DiPasquale received Star No. 2 recognition with two assists, and Webb was named Star No. 3 with his game-winning goal.
With the four victories, roller hockey improved to 8-0 on the season.
