FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Marian University men's hockey (13-6-1, 8-6-0) closed out the NCHA portion of the weekend defeating No. 15 St. Scholastica 6-2.

Marian started the game in convincing fashion as they outshot the Saints 14-5 and took a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.  Junior Jake Howie opened the scoring when he tipped a puck in front of the net at the 6:29 mark, his sixth goal of the year, with assists to the defenseman pair of sophomore Brock Weston and junior Lane Valimont.

The Sabres then netted a pair of power play goals with senior Derek Thorogood lighting the lamp just 10 seconds into a CSS penalty with assists to fellow seniors Hunter Stewart and Gianni Mangone.  Sophomore Clay Cross netted the second power play, his fourth goal of the season, following a St. Scholastica goal with an assist to fellow sophomore Connor Blanck.

While Marian was on the penalty kill, Stewart would draw a penalty on a breakaway earning him a penalty shot that he buried for his 10th goal of the year at the 4:45 mark of the second period.  The Saints would cut the lead down to 4-2 heading into the third period before the Sabres closed out the win with a pair of third period goals.

Thorogood netted his second of the game to open the third period scoring, 14th goal of the year, with an assist to senior Braden Crone before junior Nick Monfils scored the third power play goal of the game for Marian at the 11:58 mark with an assist to Thorogood.

The three-point game for Thorogood put the Calgary, Alta. native at 101 points in his Sabre career.

Special teams played a big factor in the win as the Sabre power play went 3-5 and the MU penalty kill held the Saints scoreless on five opportunities.

The Sabres finished with a 30-21 advantage in shots with sophomore Hunter Vorva stopping 19 Saint shots for the win in goal.  The Sabres had 13 different skaters record a shot led by Mangone who had seven on frame.

Marian closes out the weekend taking on UW-Eau Claire tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m.

--FightBlueFight--