D1 Hockey Battles Grand Valley in Consecutive Shootout Thrillers

OVERVIEW – Grand Valley  

SCORE: Northwood Timberwolves 4, Grand Valley Lakers 3 / Northwood 4, Grand Valley 5 

RECORDS: Northwood (3-7-1-1, 0-0-0-0 GLCHL), Grand Valley (4-4-2-1, 0-0-0-0 GL6)  

LOCATION: Midland Civic Arena – Midland, Michigan / Griffs Georgetown Ice Arena – Hudsonville, Michigan 

RECAP: The Division 1 hockey team split games over the weekend to Grand Valley University, with a 4-3 shootout win on Friday night (October 24) and 5-4 shootout loss away on Saturday afternoon (October 25). 

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS  

• Both teams came out firing in the first period, but despite plenty of shots, neither side could find the back of the net. 

• Grand Valley broke through in the second period with two quick goals to take a 2–0 lead. 

• Northwood battled back with a pair of goals to even the score at 2–2. Lukas Nies struck first, assisted by Chase Temple and Zachary McCarthy. Temple followed with a goal of his own, set up by Teagan Scheurer and Nies. 

• The Lakers regained the lead three minutes later, but the Timberwolves answered once again as Temple scored his second of the game, assisted by Adam Moule and Scheurer, tying things up at 3–3. 

• After a scoreless overtime, the game went to a shootout. Alex Bedenko netted the decisive goal, and goaltender Mason Matthew shut the door to secure a 4–3 Northwood win. 

GAME ONE STATS  

• Shots: Northwood 41, Grand Valley 41 

• Saves: Northwood 38 (Mason Matthew), Grand Valley 38 

• Power Plays: Northwood and 0/2, Grand Valley 0/2 

TOP NU PERFORMERS 

• Temple: Goals (2), Assist (1) 

• Nies: Goal (1), Assist (1) 

• Scheurer: Assists (2) 

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS  

• Grand Valley opened the scoring with a power play goal late in the first period. 

• Northwood responded in the second period when Leo Crawford tied the game at 1–1, assisted by Robert Vanderdonck and Lukas Nies. The Lakers answered two goals later in the period, one coming on another power play, to take a 3–1 lead. 

• Early in the third, Grand Valley capitalized once more on the man advantage to extend the lead to 4–1. The Timberwolves mounted a strong comeback, with two goals from Garber, his first assisted by Teagan Scheurer and Adam Moule, and a dramatic game-tying goal from Alex Bedenko with just ten seconds left in regulation to make it 4–4. 

• After a scoreless overtime, the game went to a shootout for the second straight night. Grand Valley prevailed in the shootout to take the 5–4 victory. 

GAME TWO STATS  

• Shots: Northwood 26, Grand Valley 38 

• Saves: Northwood 34 (Peter Baldwin), Grand Valley 22 

• Power Plays: Northwood 1/6, Grand Valley 3/4 

TOP NU PERFORMERS 

• Garber: Goal (2) 

• Bedenko: Goal (1) 

• Crawford: Goal (1) 

UP NEXT  

Northwood will travel to Northern Illinois University on Friday (October 31) at the Canlan Sports Rink at West Dundee, Illinois at 7:40 p.m. and on Saturday (November 1) at 5:20 p.m.