MEQUON, Wis.--Sophomores Ryan Cusin and Dino Balsamo led a balanced Adrian offense with a goal and assist apiece to help lead the Bulldogs to a 5-2 victory over Concordia (Wisconsin) in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association South Division men's action on Saturday evening.

THE BASICS
= Final Score: Adrian College 5, Concordia University Wisconsin 2

= Location: Ozaukee Ice Center Arena; Mequon, Wis.

= Records: Adrian Bulldogs 15-4 overall, 11-1 NCHA-South; Concordia Wisconsin 11-6-2 overall, 7-5 NCHA-South

= National Rankings: Adrian--#3 USCHO.com (249 points) and #4 D3hockey.com (243) polls

TOP 'DAWGS
= Juniors Brian Bachnak, Nick Erb and Bryan Yim also scored for the Bulldogs, who outshot the Falcons 43-28 on the evening.

= Classmate Kevin Entmaa made 26 stops to improve to 9-2 on the season.

= Senior assistant captain Taylor McCloy led all players with six shots on goal.

THE OPPOSITION
= Taylor Gauld and Dante Hahn had CUW's goals.

= Nick Guerra, Braydon Barker and Jared Pilet also got on the scoresheet in the form of an assist each.

= Eric Therrien led the team with four shots.

= Nick Malvin (L, 8-5-2) made 38 stops to help keep the Falcons in the contest.

HOW IT HAPPENED
= Adrian, which scored two goals in each of the first two periods, never trailed. Erb gave Adrian the 1-0 lead by scoring against his old team at 5 minutes and 1 second after the opening face-off. Yim made it 2-0 with 3:41 left on assists from junior Cory Dunn and senior captain Mathew Thompson.

= With CUW on the power play, Hahn cut the deficit in half at the 4:20 mark of the second period.

= Adrian, however, would answer right back with two quick goals 2:30 apart by Cusin and Bachnak for a 4-1 advantage. Cusin one-timed a shot off Balsamo's pass across the goal crease, and Bachnak scored unassisted.

= The teams traded power play tallies in the third period. Balsamo gave the Bulldogs a commanding 5-1 edge at 8:08, with assists from sophomore Joey Colatarci and Cusin. Gauld rounded out the scoring in the game at 12:53 on assists from Guerra and Barker.

= Adrian outshot by 15 on the day, including a 13-7 margin during the two-goal first period.

= The Falcons went 2-for-4 on the power play while Adrian was 1-for-8.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
= Erb played his first two seasons for the Falcons, recording 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 total points in 51 career games.

= Adrian is 37-0 all-time versus the Falcons. That represents the most wins against an opponent and the 37 games are the second-most played in a series with the Bulldogs.

= Senior Kyle Brothers has played in 99 contests donning the Bulldogs' black and gold uniform.

= The Bulldogs' defense has been terrific during the team's season-long seven-game win streak, allowing only eight goals. The offense has generated 29 during the span.

= Dunn is tied for NCAA Division III defensemen assist-scoring with 19. He has 21 points for tops on the team. 

UP NEXT
= Adrian returns home next weekend at Arrington Ice Arena to host NCHA opponents top-ranked St. Norbert (Friday at 7:05 p.m.) and Finlandia (Saturday at 3:05 p.m.). GET TICKETS!

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