The Beehive Showcase is a yearly ritual of the best teams in the ACHA West. The 10th ranked Lions had an especially tough schedule this year, facing #1, #3 and #4 over four games in four days. But LMU came with something to prove, and heads home with a great 3-1 record for the weekend.
On Thursday, the Lions faced #4 Utah State in the primetime slot in Logan, UT. USU would take the lead midway through the first, but the Lions tied it up on a goal from Matisse Hawthorne. In the second, USU would take the lead early in the second, but the Lions again tied it up, Kaczmarek scored unassisted. The Aggies scored again in the second and led the Lions 3-2 after two periods. But in the third the Lions started generating more pressure, and were able to tie the game as DeLaForest scored on the assist from Kurita. And then the Lions would score to win on the power play, as Joe Kurita got his second point of the night by scoring from the slot with :17 seconds left. The Lions won the game, beating #4 USU 4-3. Profaci got the victory with 41 saves.
On Friday the Lions played undefeated #1 ranked Montana State. The Lions weren’t able to get any flow in their game, as MSU capitalized on LMU mistakes. MSU would lead 1-0 after one, 3-0 after two and got up 5-0 before the Lions finally put it together, scoring twice, and falling to #1 MSU 5-2. MacGillivray scored, and Kurita scored his second of the weekend in the loss.
Looking to regroup, and with a few delayed players joining the lineup, the Lions took on Utah Valley State on Saturday, and ran away with the game in the first. The Lions scored in the first minute, as DeLaForest chipped in a pass from Lee. Then four minutes later Lee scored unassisted. The Lions then scored 3 more goals in the next 4 minutes, Lee’s second, Skenderian and MacGillivray.In the second the Lions scored four more, Sedlmayer, Patterson, Kampfner, and Lee secured his hat-trick. UVU was able to score twice in the second, and there was no scoring in the third, as the Lions picked up the 9-2 victory behind 32 stops by Profaci.
The Final game of the weekend was against #3 Weber State. Whenever the Lions face Weber the games are entertaining, this was no different. Even with both teams on their fourth games, the pace up and down the ice was quick. The Lions had good pressure the first half of the first, but Weber scored first on a rush up the ice. But Joe Kurita would score his third goal of the weekend, and first on the night, and the teams were tied 1-1 after the first. In the second Weber would score late in the period on a power play, and the otherwise even period ended with the Lions trailing 2-1. In the third the Lions came out to play, and tied the game on a goal from Skenderian just four minutes into the period. The Lions took the lead with five minutes to play, as Kaczmarek finished a rush up the ice, on a pass from Hawthorne and Skenderian. The Lions kept putting up pressure, even as Weber pulled their goalie in an effort to tie it. The Lions were able to ice the game as Joe Kurita scored his fourth goal on the weekend into the empty net. Henry Lissner played strong in net stopping 27 pucks for the victory.
The Lions finish the weekend with a 3-1 record, and are off this coming weekend for Thanksgiving Break. We wish all our fans a great holiday! We’re back for our Teddy Bear Toss game on 12/2