MILWAUKEE - St. Norbert College sophomore forward
Liam Fraser registered a natural hat trick and figured in on the eventual game-winning goal as the Green Knights posted a 4-3 win over Milwaukee School of Engineering in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game at Kern Center.
The Green Knights (14-7-2, 11-4-1 NCHA) picked up a much-needed sweep of MSOE after beating the Raiders 5-2 Friday in the series opener. St. Norbert enters its final regular-season series with 36 points, hosting first-place Adrian College, which has 37 points. The two-game series takes place on Feb. 10-11 at Cornerstone Community Center, with the Green Knights needing a win and an overtime game to claim the NCHA Peters Cup title.
MSOE jumped ahead early for the second night in a row when Charlie Skinner scored on the game's opening shift just 26 seconds into the game. The Green Knights were able to pull even when Fraser scored an unassisted goal at 6:59. Fraser then put St. Norbert ahead with a power-play goal at 16:40 of the first period. The Green Knights held a 2-1 lead at first intermission.
Fraser then completed the natural hat trick with another power-play goal just 23 seconds into the second period and a 3-1 lead. The Raiders would cut their deficit in half when Matt Hanewall scored at 6:09 to trail 3-2 at second intermission.
Curtis Hammond got a big tack-on goal at 7:12 of the third period, with Fraser assisting. That goal would prove big as MSOE's Ty Ebeling scored at 11:21 to get the Raiders back to within one. The Raiders would get 78 seconds of extra-attacker time at the end of the game, but St. Norbert's defense held firm for the win.
Besides Fraser's four-point game,
Brendan Aird had two assists for two points.
St. Norbert outshot MSOE 32-26, including 27-16 in the last two periods.
Johnny Roberts made 23 saves for the Green Knights, while Austin Schwab made 28 stops for the Raiders.
The Green Knights were 2-for-4 on the power play, while MSOE was 0-for-3.
