ALBERT LEA, Minn. - Marian University men's ACHA (18-3-0, 11-1-0 NCHL) defeated Robert Morris 5-2 to earn the NCHL Tournament Championship in their inaugural season.
Marian University struck first in the championship game. At 1:48 Tanner Pagendam was able to bat one over the goal line amid confusion in front of the net. A tripping penalty by RMU's Anthony Andras put the Sabres on the power play at 6:17. Lonnie Clary made RMU pay when he took a feed from Pagendam, stationed behind the goal line, and one timed the pass into the upper corner of the net.
RMU got on the board while on their first power play chance of the night when Michael Melka put home a rebound off a shot from the left point with 8:28 remaining in the first. Melka netted his second goal just over two minutes later as he received a pass on the Marian blue line, got past the Marian defensemen, and then drove to the net unimpeded, lifting a backhand into the upper blocker corner. Twenty minutes of fast paced action resulted in a 2-2 tie.
Clary broke the tie 3:47 into the second period off a feed from the left dot by Kirill Proskurin. Clary's goal would be the only goal in a penalty filled period. Each team had chances; Marian during a 5 on 3 and RMU while on a five-minute power play off a major by Marian. Heading into the second intermission Marian led 3-2.
After killing off a penalty Clary notched his third goal of the game when a shot he fired from just inside the top of the left circle found the back of the net. Marian would add one more goal with 33.8 seconds left while on the power play, making the score 5-2, when Bryton Tomko put home a rebound in front of the RMU goal.
In a winning effort for Marian, Justin Davidson stopped 18 of the 20 shots put on net by RMU. John Floro for RMU stopped 37 of 42 in the loss.
Marian will next begin their quest for a national championship playing Davenport Saturday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the Central Regional.
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