by Noah Grant/Sports Director/@noahgrant_23

OMAHA, Neb. – The St. Cloud State men’s hockey team scored three power play goals on Saturday in a 5-3 defeat against the Omaha Mavericks. The Huskies finished the series with five power-play goals but were unable to find the back of the net at even strength.

William Ahlrik, Nolan Roed, and Carson Pilgrim scored for the Huskies (3-5-1, 1-2-1 NCHC). Pilgrim’s goal was his first career goal and also earned an assist. He was named the game’s third star. 

It was a less than ideal start for SCSU, as Omaha struck just 1:41 into the game. A stretch pass came to Luke Woodworth, who found Sean Tschigerl in alone. Tschigerl snapped a shot over the pad of Yan Shostak to open the scoring, tallying his second goal of the season.

The news got worse for St. Cloud State as defenseman Finn McLaughlin crashed awkwardly into the boards just 17 seconds later. McLaughlin was stretchered off the ice and did not return to the game. 

The Mavericks extended their lead at the 2:48 mark, with Ryan McCleary making a nice move to the middle and shooting top-shelf on Shostak. It was the second of the season, and the series, for McCleary. 

Ahlrik cut into the lead at 6:24 with his second of the season. After good puck movement on the power play, Pilgrim centered a pass from the bottom of the right circle that Ahlrik deflected in to make the score 2-1. 

Omaha extended the lead back to two at 14:45. Gavin Hodnett took advantage of an odd bounce off the end wall and scored off a rebound to put the Mavs up 3-1. 

In the second, SCSU went to the power play late in the frame and once again capitalized. Noah Urness sent a sharp pass towards the net where Roed redirected the puck over the shoulder of the Mavericks goaltender. It was the third of the season for Roed, coming at 17:09 of the period. 

In the third, much like the first game of the series, the Huskies tied the game on the power play. Pilgrim fired a wrist shot that went off the glove of the Omaha netminder and found its way over the goal line at 9:08. 

The Mavericks took the lead for good at 16:07. Hayden Paupanekis was called for boarding and the Omaha power play finally broke through. Maxime Pellerin one-timed a pass from Luke Woodworth for the go-ahead goal. 

Tschigerl sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 18:25 to round out the scoring with his second goal of the night. 

The Huskies will be back at home next weekend as they host the UMD Bulldogs. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday. 

Photo credit: SCSU Athletics