From Hope College Athletics
By Alan Babbitt
The second-ranked Hope College ice hockey team captured back-to-back Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference Vezina Cup titles over the weekend.
The Flying Dutchmen shut out No. 15 Oakland University, 4-0, in the semifinals on Friday and No. 1 Lawrence Tech, 3-0, in the finals on Saturday. Patterson Ice Arena in Grand Rapids hosted both games.
Hope (25-5 overall) now is on a seven-game winning streak heading into next month’s ACHA National Tournament in St. Louis, Mo. The Flying Dutchmen have shut out four consecutive opponents.
On Saturday, junior goalie Maclane Schick (Kohler, Wisconsin / Kohler HS) turned away 30 Lawrence Tech shots.
Sophomore defenseman Austin Ieuter (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow) scored Hope’s first goal off assists from Colton Laufer and Gunnar Suidinski.
The Flying Dutchmen went up 2-0 on a Suidinski goal that featured an assist from sophomore defenseman Dylan Kingsbury (Saginaw, Michigan / Nouvel Catholic).
Hope’s last goal came from Ryan Endres off assists from senior right Nolan Convertini (Muskegon, Michigan / Muskegon Catholic Central) and junior defenseman Ian MacDonald (Grand Haven, Michigan / Grand Haven).
On Friday, Schick stopped all 25 Oakland shots.
Ieuter opened the scoring for the Flying Dutchmen again.
His first goal came on assists from senior center Gabe Gunneson (Rockford, Michigan / Forest Hills Northern) and sophomore center Jake Onstott (Zeeland, Michigan / Grand Rapids Catholic Central).
Ieuter’s second goal had assists from senior defenseman Ashton Bol (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian) and Gunneson.
Bol extended Hope’s lead to 3-0 with assists from Convertini and sophomore forward Brenden Tarpening (Fenton Michigan / Flint Powers Catholic).
Senior defenseman Luke McKinch (Plymouth, Wisconsin / Plymouth Comprehensive) closed the scoring with an unassisted goal.
(Originally published at https://athletics.hope.edu/news/2024/2/26/acha-hockey-posts-two-shutouts-repeats-at-vezina-cup-champs.aspx)
