SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The fifth-ranked ACHA Division I men's hockey team entered the 2011 Division I Showcase with a 4-0 record. They left Springfield with a couple of tough losses by one goal each against three other programs ranked in the top 15 of the latest ACHA Division I poll.
On Friday night the Bulldogs fell 2-1 versus #15 Central Oklahoma from the Nelson Center in Springfield. Patrick Biron scored on the power play in the first period for UCO to take a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. Adrian tied the game at 1-1 in the second period at 4:02 as Spencer Bonomo scored an even strength goal with assists from Kevin Sunde and Darrell Boldon. UCO netted the game-winner with 11 seconds left in the second as J.M. Biron scored an even strength goal with an assist from Shane Khalaf.
Adrian put the pressure on Tory Caldwell all night, but the netminder made several big saves and finished with 41 saves. Matt Anderson stopped 25 of the 27 shots that he faced for the Bulldogs.
The offense sputtered again on Saturday night with a 2-1 loss to #14 Robert Morris (Ill.) as the Bulldogs got off to a slow start in the second and could not recover. Robert Morris scored 14 seconds into the period as Tony Domico scored an unassisted goal. Rock Einersen made it 2-0 at 12:07 with assists from Zach Kuta and Christopher Cimoch.
The Bulldogs cut the lead in half at 4:48 of the third as Paul Conte netted an unassisted goal. Adrian pulled goalie Matt Anderson with 30 seconds left but could not get the equalizer. Anderson made 34 saves on the night and Andy DiCristofaro stopped 29 of 30 shots for RMU.
#8 Oklahoma battled Adrian into a shootout on Sunday afternoon with the Sooners claiming a 3-2 win. Neither team could crack the scoreboard in the opening 20 minutes. OU scored 28 seconds into the second as Shane Vorndran's unassisted tally gave OU a 1-0 lead. Ryan Bachman tied things at 1-1 at the 4:56 mark of the second unassisted.
Oklahoma regained the advantage 2-1 early in the third as Chad Hudson scored an unassisted goal. Adrian tied it again at 2-2 with Bachman's second unassisted goal of the game. In the shootout, OU scored three times compared to two for the Bulldogs. Anderson made 22 saves for Adrian and Matt Pombo countered with 20 saves for the Sooners.
The team is back in action on Friday, Oct. 14 at Wings West in Kalamazoo to take on the Western Michigan Broncos at 7:30 PM in their first conference tilt of the season.
