Posted: Feb 22, 2026

D1 Hockey Is Back-To-Back GLCHL Champions

OVERVIEW – GLCHL Tournament

SCORE: Northwood Timberwolves 6, Saginaw Valley Cardinals 2 / Northwood 9, Western Michigan Stallions 2

RECORDS: Northwood (25-7-1-1, 12-0-0-0 GLCHL), Saginaw Valley (13-18-2-0, 7-5-0-0 GLCHL), Western Michigan (16-12-0-1, 8-4-0-0 GLCHL)

LOCATION: Team Toledo Ice House – Toledo, Ohio

RECAP: The Division 1 hockey team are back-to-back GLCHL Champions. The team won two games over the weekend to secure the championship. The first was a 6-2 win against Saginaw Valley University on Friday night (February 20), followed by a 9-2 win against Western Michigan University on Saturday afternoon (February 21). Owen Croston was named tournament MVP, with five goals and two assists across the two games.

GLCHL SEMI-FINAL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Northwood struck first in the opening period, as Croston found the back of the net with assists from Adam Moule and Alex Blankenship to make it 1-0. Saginaw responded to even the score at 1-1, but Teagan Scheurer scored late in the period, assisted by Chase Temple and Alex Bedenko, to give the Timberwolves a 2-1 lead heading into intermission.

Both teams had a power-play opportunity in the second period, but neither side was able to capitalize.

Just three minutes into the third period, Collin Baker extended Northwood's lead to 3-1, with Croston and Cameron Duffany picking up the assists. The Timberwolves added another when Milos Todorovic scored, assisted by Baker and Bedenko, to make it 4-1. Saginaw pulled one back to cut the deficit to 4-2, setting up an intense final ten minutes. However, Northwood sealed the game with a power-play goal from Trevor Stenglein, assisted by Bryce Garber and Bedenko, followed by Croston's second goal of the night, assisted by Duffany and Garber. The Timberwolves secured a 6-2 victory in the GLCHL semifinal.

GLCHL SEMI-FINAL GAME STATS

Shots: Northwood 47, Saginaw Valley 26

Saves: Northwood 24 (Mason Matthew), Saginaw Valley 41

Power Plays: Northwood 1/4, Saginaw Valley 0/2

TOP NU PERFORMERS

Croston: Goals (2) Assist (1)

Bedenko: Assists (3)

Baker: Goal (1) Assist (1)

GLCHL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HIGHLIGHTS

The Stallions opened the scoring midway through the first period, taking a 1-0 lead in the GLCHL Championship.

Northwood responded in dominant fashion to start the second period. In the first five minutes alone, the Timberwolves scored four straight goals to take control of the game. Robert Vanderdonck got things started, assisted by Moule and Blankenship. Croston followed with a goal of his own, assisted by Baker and Duffany. Garber added another, with assists from Scheurer and Bedenko, before Croston netted his second of the game, assisted again by Duffany and Baker, to make it 4-1. Western Michigan briefly cut the deficit to 4-2, but Northwood answered quickly. Garber scored his second of the night, assisted once again by Scheurer and Bedenko, and Croston completed his hat trick, with Baker and Duffany earning assists for the third time, to give the Timberwolves a 6-2 lead heading into intermission.

Northwood's dominance continued in the third period. Vanderdonck scored his second of the night on the power play, assisted by Duffany and Croston. Jack Rivera added another, with assists from Garber and Bedenko, and Angelo Massaro capped off the night with a goal assisted by Stenglein and Jacob McLellan. The Timberwolves secured a commanding 9-2 victory to claim the GLCHL Championship.

GLCHL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME STATS