Defending Champion Green Knights down Men's Hockey in season opener

DE PERE, Wis. – St. Norbert College hung their second-consecutive NCAA Division III National Championship banner prior to the game on Tuesday night and continued their success into the 2012-13 season with a 4-0 non-conference victory over Concordia University Wisconsin at Cornerstone Center.

CUW (0-1) was outshot 35-17, but stayed with SNC and trailed 2-0 after two periods of play. The Green Knights used its experience to score a pair of insurance goals during the final period. Neither team was able to capitalize on power-play chances as SNC finished 1-for-6, while CUW was 0-for-4.

Erik Cooper tallied the opening goal of the game just over two minutes into the first period on a slapper through the slot, via a Brandon Hoogenboom and Chris Rial assist combination.

Following a Green Knight penalty Kyle Stroh was able to score a short-handed, unassisted goal that gave SNC (1-0) a 2-0 lead, which stayed until the end of the period.

A crowd of over 1,100 saw the Green Knights extend their advantage to a commanding 4-0lead after Sam Dougherty tallied an even-strength goal off a Noah Nemgar and Reid Campbell assist. Carl Ekstrom added a power-play goal from Cody Keefer and Sam Higgins for the final score.

CUW returns to action on Friday at 7 p.m. when it travels to Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association rival MSOE at the Kern Center. The Raiders ended the 2011-12 season with a 22-7-1 record and won the MCHA Tournament.