St. Olaf Men’s Hockey Dominates Lake Forest in Thrilling 7-4 Victory
In a high-energy matchup, the St. Olaf College men’s hockey team claimed a 7-4 win over Lake Forest College. This game, held at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse, thrilled fans as both teams faced off in their non-conference series.
St. Olaf (5-2-2) showcased their scoring prowess, netting two goals in the first period, three in the second, and two in the third. This marks their biggest offensive showing since they triumphed 7-1 over Saint John’s University on February 9, 2024.
Leading the charge for the Oles was freshman Connor McNaughton, who had an impressive three-point outing with one goal and two assists. Nicholas Sewecke, a sophomore, scored twice, while Tony Leahy, a junior, contributed a goal and an assist. Senior Jack Boxer and junior Bjorn Lervick also stood out with two assists each. Additionally, freshmen Cody Kempf and Hunter Hayes, along with senior Jonathan Panisa, found the back of the net.
The game started with Lake Forest taking an early lead, scoring just over six minutes in. However, the Oles responded quickly. Boxer set up Kempf for his second collegiate goal just over a minute later. Hayes then scored his first collegiate goal, putting St. Olaf ahead 2-1 by the end of the first period.
In the second period, Lake Forest drew level with a power-play goal from Max Jaldung just 33 seconds in. But St. Olaf surged back, scoring three unanswered goals within a span of just over three minutes, taking a 5-2 lead. McNaughton broke the tie at 4:49, followed swiftly by Leahy’s impressive power-play goal 34 seconds later, and Panisa added another power-play goal shortly after.
Though Lake Forest fought back with two goals late in the second period from Colin Bella and Will Brown, Sewecke sealed the game for St. Olaf with a power-play goal in the third and an empty-netter, finishing the match off.
St. Olaf demonstrated strong special teams performance, going 3-for-5 on the power play, compared to Lake Forest’s 2-for-5. Freshman Ryan Nolan shone in goal for St. Olaf, making 32 saves and improving his record to 4-2-0 this season.
This win sets the stage for an exciting series finale at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 30, back at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse.
Recent statistics show that the importance of special teams can’t be understated. According to a 2022 NCAA report, teams that capitalize on power plays have a significant advantage in game outcomes. This emphasizes how critical St. Olaf’s performance on the power play was in securing their victory.
As the season progresses, fans are eager to see how both teams will adapt and improve. Social media has been buzzing with discussions about the impressive play from St. Olaf’s freshmen and their growing chemistry on the ice.
With each game, they’re shaping an exciting narrative that has fans and analysts alike attentive to their journey this season.
For more details about NCAA hockey trends and player performances, check the NCAA official statistics.
