Hancock, MI – February 18, 2020 – The Marquette Redmen Varsity Hockey team shouldered a tough 2-1 loss to the Hancock Bulldogs tonight on Fox Sports Marquette 105.1-99.9.
An early Bulldogs goal got things going for Hancock. Calvin Heinonen found the back of the net to give the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead over Marquette. The Redmen had some good looks at the goal in the ensuing minutes, but Bulldog goalie Brandon Pietila came up with the saves to protect their lead.
The Redmen outshot the Bulldogs with 10 shots on goal for the period, but the score remained 1-0 going into the second.
Hancock opened the second period with a solid short-handed effort, but Brennan Hakkola came up with a brilliant save to keep the Bulldogs at bay. The Redmen wasted no time as they turned around and found the back of the net. Ethan Phillips, with assistance from Jacob Peterson, buried the puck to tie it up at 1-1 with just 39 seconds gone in the period.
The Bulldogs responded at the six-minute mark with a power play goal to reclaim the lead at 2-1. The Redmen seemed to have lost some of the intensity they exhibited in the beginning of the period. Marquette peppered the Hancock goal with solid attempts, but nothing got through as the Bulldogs carried their 2-1 lead into the third period.
Marquette again took to raining shots on the Hancock goal to start the third and final period, their intensity restored. Hakkola also protected the Redmen goal to keep their deficit at just one, the score still 2-1 with the Bulldogs in the lead.
A frantic pace pushed the final minutes along as the Redmen tried to catch the Bulldogs, though there was no scoring for the entire third period. In spite of their best efforts, Marquette fell to Hancock tonight to go 20-4 on the season so far.
The Redmen are back in action against the Houghton Gremlins on Thursday, February 20th on Fox Sports Marquette 105.1-99.9. Tune in at 6:30 pm for the pregame show, the puck drops at 7:00 pm.
Listen to a recording of the broadcast.
Photos by Amy Luke.
