Aaron Trotter’s third career shutout leads Tommies to 4-0 victory

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. – University of St. Thomas Men's Hockey (2-3-1 overall, 1-0-0 CCHA) rode a strong defensive effort to a 4-0 victory over the Augustana Vikings (3-4-0 overall, 0-1-0 CCHA) to open conference play on Friday night at Saint Thomas Ice Arena.

Aaron Trotter stopped all 20 of the shots he faced for his third career shutout. Trotter owns all three shutouts in program history, his 20 saves tonight were his least of the three. The Tommies were 6-6 on the penalty kill, Trotter made six saves while down a man. Casy Laylin (GWG) scored the first of his career, Matthew Gleason added two including a shorthanded empty-net goal, and Lucas Wahlin scored his second of the season.

Recap
The Tommies needed a bounce back in a big way after being outscored 13-3 a weekend before by the Gophers and bounce back they did. Aaron Trotter and the defense took the Vikings best shot and did not blink during the first period. They outshot Augustana eight to six and killed their one penalty of the frame.

Casy Laylin and Matthew Gleason were the difference makers in the second period, and both fought through traffic in front to put rebounded pucks past the reigning CCHA Goaltender of the Month.

Laylin's came at 13:57 from Cooper Gay and Chase Cheslock. Gay put on a spin move and shot the puck on net, got his own rebound, shot it on net again, and the second rebound found Casy Laylin who, from one knee, put the puck into the back of the net for the first time in his collegiate career.

Less than two minutes later, Gleason scored his second of the season at 15:51 from Liam Malmquist and Ethan Elias. Malmquist ripped a shot from the left point off the right pad of the netminder. Gleason, crashing in as the shot occurred, won the rebound and poked it through to double the Purple lead.

Trotter made three more stops in the final minute and 13 seconds of the period to cap off an eight-save frame. He and the Toms killed off two penalties during the second.

Lucas Wahlin put the Tommies up three at 7:17 in the third from Malmquist who added his second assist on the night and 50^th career point. The senior found a loose puck in his own end and bounced a cross-ice pass through the neutral zone and off the far boards to a streaking Wahlin who did the rest with a silky backhanded finish through the goalie's legs.

Gleason struck again at 15:11 with a no-look-backhand-empty-net-shorthanded-unassisted goal. The Tommies were killing off a penalty when the Vikings pulled their goalie at 14:44. Gleason broke up a pass in the high slot and, after the end of a long shift, shoveled the puck down the ice before hustling off to the bench. He celebrated his second goal of the night on the bench, having reached it before the puck crossed the goal line.

Gleason and Chase Foley both earned +3 ratings as the Tommies survived 16 minutes of penalties and six penalty kills in route to the victory.

Tommie Tidbits

This was the fourth game of the season in which the Tommies outshot their opponent, they are 2-1-1 in such games.
The win was St. Thomas' first against Augustana in the short history between the two programs.
It was the Toms' first win on a Friday, this season.
Matthew Gleason's shorthanded goal was the Tommies' second shorty in as many games (Liam Malmquist against Minnesota last Saturday), it was also the Toms' second empty-netter of the season (Cooper Gay in win against Vermont).
Gleason's two-goal game is the second of the season for the Purple, Mason Poolman scored two in the Tommies' 5-5 tie with Vermont. It was the first two-goal game of his 113-game career.
Liam Malmquist's two assists were his 49^th and 50^th career points. He is currently averaging more than one point per game, seven points in six games. It was his second multi-point game of the season (3A against Vermont ) and 10^th of his career (8 last season).
Casy Laylin's +4 rating through six games leads the team.
The Tommies finished 0-2 on the power play to extend their drought to start the season to 0-19.

First Time Since

Aaron Trotter's shutout was the first for a Tommie since he did it against Michigan Tech last season, he made 36 saves (245 days).
Trotter's shutout was the first for a Tommie at home since he did it against Lake Superior State with 23 saves on November 25, 2022 (722 days).

Up Next
The Tommies wrap their home series with Augustana tomorrow night at 6:07 p.m. at Saint Thomas Ice Arena. They will not play the Vikings again for the rest of the season.

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Tickets
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Team Stats

Matthew Gleason

Liam Malmquist

Casy Laylin

Lucas Wahlin

Players Mentioned

Chase Cheslock

Ethan Elias

Chase Foley

Cooper Gay

Matthew Gleason

Casy Laylin

Liam Malmquist

Mason Poolman

Aaron Trotter

Lucas Wahlin