Courtesy of Midland Athletics
ALBERT LEA, Minn. – Midland University hit the road one final time for the regular season as they traveled just over the border into Minnesota to face Waldorf University this weekend. The two teams of Warriors hit the ice inside Albert Lea City Arena on Friday and Saturday to determine their final standings before the conference tournament. Midland won the opener in dominant fashion, 6-1, on Friday night and then had to battle back to take the series with a 7-6 win on Saturday afternoon.
FRIDAY: Midland 6, Waldorf 1
It was all Midland on Friday night as they opened up with three goals in the first period. Fletcher Chun got things going at the 7:19 mark off an assist from Tommy Wardas. Wardas, who is returning from an injury, picked up a second point on the night with an assist to Kolten Wright just over eight minutes later.
Leading 2-0, Zach Weber etched his name onto the scoresheet with 2:57 left in the opening period. Tanner Mros found Weber for the score as the Warriors took a three-goal lead into intermission.
Coming out of the break, Waldorf began a man down after a slashing call in the final minute of the first. With time to plan in the dressing room, Midland found the back of the net at the end of its first power play chance of the night. Weber scored the puck off a pass from Jack Olson, 58 seconds into the second.
Just past the five-minute mark, Trevor Timm got into the scoring column with an unassisted goal. The teams went into the second break with Midland firmly in command, 5-0.
In the final period, Chun scored his second of the night just before the midway point. With 11:09 to go in the game, Jared Wisely earned the assist to put the Warriors up 6-0. Waldorf was able to spoil the shutout with a power-play goal at the 11:16 mark.
Nahuel Veyan earned the win in goal, saving 15 of the 16 shots that reached his level. Midland peppered the Waldorf goalie with 42 shots on the night, scoring six.
SATURDAY: Midland 7, Waldorf 6
In the regular-season finale for both teams, fans were treated to a high-scoring affair between the two teams that go by the Warriors moniker. Less than 24 hours after being nearly shut out, Waldorf put up two goals in the opening frame. They scored at the 17:47 mark and then took advantage of a late-period penalty and scored on the power play in the final minute to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
After the break, Waldorf went up another goal with a score in the opening minute. Midland finally broke through at the 3:20 mark when Jared Wisely scored off a pass from Fletcher Chun during a power play.
Waldorf responded with a goal less than a minute later but was whistled for an elbow moments later. Midland took advantage of the extra skater and scored its second power-play goal of the game. Tommy Wardas netted the goal off a pass from Wisely at the 9:23 mark.
The goals continued in the second as Waldorf scored on a power play chance at the 14:43 mark.
Trailing 5-2, Midland began its comeback as time ticked toward the end of the second period. With 4:32 to go, Wardas netted his second of the game off a feed from Zach Eddington. Before the intermission, Trevor Timm lit the lamp with just over a minute to go off an assist from Landon Donovan. Heading into the final 20 minutes, Waldorf clung onto a 5-4 lead.
In the final period, Midland scored their third power-play goal as Wardas completed his hat trick five minutes into the period. Logan Wotton assisted on the goal that knotted the game up at 5-5.
Just over five minutes later, Chun scored his third of the weekend to give Midland its first lead of the game. Waldorf answered back though at the 16:13 mark, making it 6-6 with just under four minutes to go.
As the time ticked off the clock, Waldorf was caught for a cross check and sent to the penalty box with 2:04 to play. It took Midland just over ten seconds to convert its fourth power-play goal and put them back in front. With 1:51 on the clock, Wardas scored his fourth goal of the game off a feed from Wotton.
Time was not on Waldorf’s side as the final 131 seconds disappeared from the game clock. Midland completed the sweep and secured the fourth seed in next week’s conference tournament.
In the net, Nahuel Veyan went the distance for the win. He picked up 18 saves in the victory. For Waldorf, the defense allowed 46 shots on goal with seven finding the netting.
Next week, these two teams will make their way to Fremont, Nebraska for the Midwest College Hockey (MCH) Conference Tournament. Midland (8-22) will be the fourth seed and will face none other than Waldorf (13-18) who is locked into the fifth seed. Their game will be the second of the opening night on Friday, February 24. Puck drop is slated for 8:00 p.m. inside Sidner Ice Arena.
