Teams Set For Championship Games

Sunday morning as many teams slept in at their hotels after being eliminated from the tournament the day before, sixteen teams remained alive for the opportunity to play for the National Championship in their division. 

 

Of those sixteen teams three of the four defending National Champions remained alive in their title defense effort, however each team entered the rink knowing that they had a target on their backs and that they would have to be ready to play if they were to advance.

 

In Division I action, the University of Central Florida faced off with Eastern Michigan University after advancing to the Final Four for the second consecutive season.  Eastern Michigan took an early lead in the game when John Schultz picked up a loose puck after the defenseman?s stick broke at the point and skated in on a shorthanded 2 on 1 rush before beating UCF goaltender Ryan Novalis (22 saves) with a wrist shot to the glove side 3:46 remaining in the first period.  Central Florida took a 3-1 lead into the third period on the strength of three even strength goals from Patrick Crenshaw to set up an intense third period.  Despite having two power play opportunities midway through the third, the Eagles were unable to overcome UCF?s lead.  Eastern Michigan managed to score a goal with their goalie pulled for an extra attacker with 0:15 remaining, but it was not enough as Central Florida advanced to the Division I Championship Game with a 3-2 victory. 

 

With Central Florida already in the championship game, the defending champion Lindenwood University and Michigan State University clubs faced off to determine who would face the Golden Knights in the final game of the tournament.  After Lindenwood took an early 1-0 lead in the first period, Michael Mackert tied the game at 1-1 with a slap shot from the left circle on the power play 0:18 into the second period.  Lindenwood retook the lead just over two minutes later when Jeff Hill curled up the right side boards before firing a wrist shot over the glove of Spartans goalie David Cohen (17 saves) with 9:34 remaining in the second period.  Despite their best efforts, the Spartans could not manage to get the puck past Lions goaltender Brian Coleman (21 saves) and an empty net goal with 0:24 remaining sealed the deal for Lindenwood and advanced them into the Championship Game with a 3-1 victory. 

 

In Division II, the University of Nevada at Reno remained the only undefeated team in collegiate roller hockey when Devon Hume scored his second goal of the game with 1:14 remaining to give the Wolf Pack the lead before an empty net goal with 0:39 remaining insured that Nevada would have the opportunity to finish the season undefeated winning by a final score of 5-3 over Washington (St. Louis).  Neumann College sought their third straight trip into the championship game when they faced off against Saint Louis University.  On the power of four third period goals, from John Holmes (2 goals), Victor Scotto (2 goals, 1 assist), Sean White (1 goal, 1 assist), and Patrick Wlazel the Knights advanced to the Division II Championship Game where they will look to capture their first championship after placing as the runner-up the past two seasons.  The game will be a rematch from last season when Neumann defeated Nevada-Reno in the Final Four to advance into the National Championshp Game.

 

The B division championship pairing where set early when Lindenwood University defeated Western Michigan by a final score of 5-3 earning themselves the opportunity to defend their championship from last season.  While on the second rink, Eastern Michigan defeated Cal Poly SLO to advance to the championship game for the first time after falling in the Final Four round last season where they will have the opportunity to avenge their defeat in the Final Four last season against Lindenwood. 

 

The Division III finals were set last night when St. Charles Community College, the five-time defending champion, advanced to the championship game when they came back from a one-goal deficit in the third period to defeat Suffolk Community College by a final score of 6-5 on Rink 1.  In action on Rink 2, Riverside Community College earned the opportunity to play for the National Championship in their inaugural season defeating St. Louis-Meramec Community College by an 11-3 margin. 

 

The championship games will all take place on Rink 1 at OD?s Sports Crossing in Fort Collins, CO with the B division championship game starting at 10:00 AM, followed by the Division III final at 11:15 AM, before the Division II championship is scheduled to start at 12:45 PM, and the Division I championship game will begin sharply at 2:15 PM.