Pickering's two goals, game-winner leads Men's Hockey to 6-5 win over Bethel

BLAINE, Minn. – Freshman Anthony Pickering scored two goals, including the game-winnier with 9:21 to play, in helping lift the Concordia University Wisconsin Men's Hockey team to a 6-5 victory over Bethel University. The tilt was the first of a two-game series between the Falcons and Royals as the two teams are playing for the Thanksgiving Cup.

All six of the Falcons goals came over the final two periods, including four in the second, helping them build a 4-3 lead heading into the second intermission. It was Bethel who led 1-0 after one period of play on a goal by former Falcon Travis Payne. Payne has a big night as well, finishing with a hat trick for the Royals.

With the Falcons leading 4-3 heading into the third stanza, Bethel quickly evened the score up on Payne's third goal of the night just 1:29 into the final period. The Royals would take a 5-4 lead at the 7:57 mark of the third when Taylor Brown scored.

The lead wouldn't last long for Bethel as sophomore Brandt Weldon (The Pas, Manitoba) recorded a goal at the 9:42 mark, making the score tied for the fifth time. Weldon's score was assisted by junior Eli Riddle and freshman Brody Decker (Dousman, Wis.). Decker finished the game with two assists, as did fellow freshman Braden Crone. 

Pickering would net the game-winner just 57 seconds later, scoring off an assist from Crone to lift the Falcons to the non-conference win. It appeared with 9:21 remaining and the way both teams were lighting the lamp frequently that Bull's goal would not hold up, however led by goaltender Dylan Frank, the Falcons were able to hold on for the one-goal win.

Frank (Truro, Nova Scotia) finished the night with 30 saves, including 12 over the final 20 minutes. The win was the second of the season for the freshman. His counterpart, Will Griswold, stopped 33 shots in his first decision of the year.

The game was back-and-forth all evening long as after Bethel built a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play, CUW answered with two early second period goals. Pickering (Sylvan Lake, Alberta) tied the score at 1-1 just 2:14 into the second. The score marked the third straight game and fourth in the last five in which Pickering has netted a goal. Crone (Metiskow, Alberta) and Decker assisted on the Pickering goal.

Sophomore Devin Stuermer (Milwaukee, Wis.) then gave the Falcons a 2-1 lead 2:11 later on his 26th career goal. Stuermer is now just one back of the Falcons all-time lead, 27 set by Jonathan Smith from 2007-2011. Bull picked up his first point of the night with an assist on the Stuermer score.

Bethel would tie the score at 2-2 before sophomore Tanner Bull (Brooklin, Ontario) put the Falcons back in front at the 11:23 mark of the second. Stuermer tallied a helper on the Bull goal, which pushed CUW up 3-2. Bethel would answer with a power play score by Mitch Hughes before the Falcons Chris Hughes (Dundee, Mich.) gave his team a 4-3 lead with 2:55 left in the second. Stuermer added his second assist of the game on the final goal of the second period. 

The third period saw Bethel take a 5-4 lead before the Falcons answered with the goals scored by Bull and Weldon.

Neither team spent too much time in the box Friday combining for six penalties and 12 minutes. The Falcons were whistled four times for eight minutes and killed off two of the Royals three power play opportunities. CUW did not score on its only power play chance of the night, which came late in the second period.

The Falcons will attempt to retain the Thanksgiving Cup tomorrow as the two conclude their series in a 3 p.m. game. A CUW win or tie will give it the Cup for another season, while a Bethel win would force a shootout immediately following the game to see which team puts gives the Thanksgiving Cup a home for the next year.