FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Indiana Tech men's hockey team ended their season series against the #13 Purdue University Northwest Pride (PNW) with a split over two games. Tech won the first meeting on October 11
th 5-1 on the road but fell at home 6-4 on Tuesday afternoon.
In their first meeting, back on October 11
th, the Warriors scored the first three goals of the game and were up 3-1 after two periods of play. Tech would add two more goals in the third period in that game and go on to finish off the Pride 5-1.
Malik Ali scored twice in the game, while
Isaiah Gagerman,
Colton Nikiforuk, and
Aidan Dufort tallied goals as well.
Ty Barnhill made 29 saves in net in the win.
On Tuesday, the Pride of Purdue Northwest came into Fort Wayne with revenge on their mind and fired off three goals in the first period to bury the Warriors from the jump. Two of the PNW goals in the period came on the powerplay. Tech's
Colton Nikiforuk would get one back early in the second period on assists from
Malik Ali and
Joey Mocnik to cut the deficit to two, but PNW would answer right back, extending the lead back to three.
Pavel Svoboda would score shorthanded for the Warriors from
Alex Arnold, making it 4-2, but again PNW would answer in less than 30 seconds, scoring on the powerplay. Each team would add another at the end of the second as Tech would trail 6-3 going into the final period.
Francesco Santaniello would score on the powerplay for the Warriors with six minutes to go to get it back to a two-goal deficit, but the Warriors could not capitalize again after that as they would fall 6-4.
Ty Barnhill was in goal for the Orange & Black and made 40 saves in the loss.
Indiana Tech drops to 13-5-0 on the season. The Warriors will have some time off for Thanksgiving break before playing #3 Adrian College in a home and away series on Thursday, November 30
th in Adrian, Michigan and on Friday, December 1
st at home at 7:30pm.
- TECH -
