University of St. Thomas Athletics
Saturday, January 18
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. / Taffy Abel Arena
5:07 p.m. Central
9-10-5, 6-6-4
3
at
3
Lake Superior State
9-13-2, 7-8-1
1
2
3
OT 1
OT 2
F
St. Thomas (MN)
2
1
0
0
0
3
Lake Superior St.
1
1
1
0
0
3
Photo by: Maddie Kranz
Cooper Gay scores two; Tommies stretch unbeaten streak to six games
1/18/2025 8:32:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Liam Malmquist added three points and broke the single season program record with 32 points
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – St. Thomas Men's Hockey (9-10-5 overall, 6-6-4 CCHA) got on top early and earned the extra point in a shootout for the first time in program history to extend its program-best unbeaten streak to six games on Saturday night at Abel Arena against Lake Superior State (9-13-2, 7-8-1).
Cooper Gay scored 34 seconds into the game from Matthew Gleason and Liam Malmquist. Malmquist then added his 31st point of the season with a goal later in the first from Gleason and Lucas Wahlin. Gay scored again in the second period from Malmquist and Ryan O'Neill. Aaron Trotter stopped a season-high 38 of 41 shots including one stop in the shootout to lock up the extra conference point.
Recap
Cooper Gay scored before most fans had even gotten to their seats, 34 seconds into play. Liam Malmquist fed a stretch pass from in front of the Tommie bench to Matthew Gleason. The Tommie senior carried the puck below the goal line and fed Gay who was unchecked in the low slot. Gay scored his 12th of the season to tie his career high.
The Tommies killed off both penalties in the game and in the series. Their first shorthanded effort came at 3:43 in the first, but Aaron Trotter did not face a shot during the two-minute sequence.
Liam Malmquist did what he's done better than any Tommie in the DI era…produce. He scored at 12:25 in the first to double the Purple's lead. Gleason was the catalyst once again with a backhanded pass to Malmquist down in the low slot. Malmquist deked out the goalie with a nasty pair of moves just outside the goal crease. It was Malmquist's 31st point of the season, a program record with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
Lake State answered at 15:08 to halve the Tommie lead and push the game into the second period. The first was very even with nine shots-on-goal for LSSU and eight for UST.
Nearly halfway through the second period, Ethan Gauer took a dirty hit against the boards at 10:23. After review initiated by St. Thomas, Mike Brown was issued a major penalty and a game misconduct for contact to the head. The Tommies put seven shots on goal before Cooper Gay added his second goal of the contest at 10:23.
Liam Malmquist shot the puck toward the goal mouth and Gay skillfully directed the puck off his stick and into the back of the net. For Gay, it was a career-best 13th goal and for Malmquist, his career-best 20th assist.
The celebration was short-lived when the Lakers scored shorthanded at 11:32. It was the first shorty allowed by the Tommies this season and first since Connor Milburn of Lake State did it in the playoffs last season. The 3-2 Tommie lead would hold into the third period.
Lake State did not go away and tied the game at 12:34. The Tommies pressured the Lakers with five shots on goal in the final three minutes, but the Lakers held on to send the game to overtime for the second game in a row. This time, nobody would score, and the game would end in a tie.
St. Thomas came away with the extra point in its first shootout win in program history. Jake Braccini, Lucas Wahlin, and Liam Malmquist each scored, and Aaron Trotter made the crucial save to lock up the shootout win.
Aaron Trotter stopped a season-high 38 shots. The Lakers outshot the Tommies 41-32 and won 39 of the game's 65 faceoffs. St. Thomas was 1-2 on the power play and 2-2 on the penalty kill. Their power play is up to 28.2%, the best in the CCHA and one of the best in the country.
Up Next
The Tommies return to Saint Thomas Ice Arena for two games against instate rival Bemidji State next Saturday, January 25th and Sunday January 26th at 6:07 and 3:07 p.m. The Beavers come into town on a bit of a skid with an 0-6-2 record since December 7th.
Cooper Gay scored 34 seconds into the game from Matthew Gleason and Liam Malmquist. Malmquist then added his 31st point of the season with a goal later in the first from Gleason and Lucas Wahlin. Gay scored again in the second period from Malmquist and Ryan O'Neill. Aaron Trotter stopped a season-high 38 of 41 shots including one stop in the shootout to lock up the extra conference point.
Recap
Cooper Gay scored before most fans had even gotten to their seats, 34 seconds into play. Liam Malmquist fed a stretch pass from in front of the Tommie bench to Matthew Gleason. The Tommie senior carried the puck below the goal line and fed Gay who was unchecked in the low slot. Gay scored his 12th of the season to tie his career high.
The Tommies killed off both penalties in the game and in the series. Their first shorthanded effort came at 3:43 in the first, but Aaron Trotter did not face a shot during the two-minute sequence.
Liam Malmquist did what he's done better than any Tommie in the DI era…produce. He scored at 12:25 in the first to double the Purple's lead. Gleason was the catalyst once again with a backhanded pass to Malmquist down in the low slot. Malmquist deked out the goalie with a nasty pair of moves just outside the goal crease. It was Malmquist's 31st point of the season, a program record with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
Lake State answered at 15:08 to halve the Tommie lead and push the game into the second period. The first was very even with nine shots-on-goal for LSSU and eight for UST.
Nearly halfway through the second period, Ethan Gauer took a dirty hit against the boards at 10:23. After review initiated by St. Thomas, Mike Brown was issued a major penalty and a game misconduct for contact to the head. The Tommies put seven shots on goal before Cooper Gay added his second goal of the contest at 10:23.
Liam Malmquist shot the puck toward the goal mouth and Gay skillfully directed the puck off his stick and into the back of the net. For Gay, it was a career-best 13th goal and for Malmquist, his career-best 20th assist.
The celebration was short-lived when the Lakers scored shorthanded at 11:32. It was the first shorty allowed by the Tommies this season and first since Connor Milburn of Lake State did it in the playoffs last season. The 3-2 Tommie lead would hold into the third period.
Lake State did not go away and tied the game at 12:34. The Tommies pressured the Lakers with five shots on goal in the final three minutes, but the Lakers held on to send the game to overtime for the second game in a row. This time, nobody would score, and the game would end in a tie.
St. Thomas came away with the extra point in its first shootout win in program history. Jake Braccini, Lucas Wahlin, and Liam Malmquist each scored, and Aaron Trotter made the crucial save to lock up the shootout win.
Aaron Trotter stopped a season-high 38 shots. The Lakers outshot the Tommies 41-32 and won 39 of the game's 65 faceoffs. St. Thomas was 1-2 on the power play and 2-2 on the penalty kill. Their power play is up to 28.2%, the best in the CCHA and one of the best in the country.
Up Next
The Tommies return to Saint Thomas Ice Arena for two games against instate rival Bemidji State next Saturday, January 25th and Sunday January 26th at 6:07 and 3:07 p.m. The Beavers come into town on a bit of a skid with an 0-6-2 record since December 7th.
Team Stats
UST
LSS
Shots
32
41
PPG
1
0
SHG
0
1
Penalties
2
2
Penalty Mins
4
15
Faceoffs Won
26
39
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
-1
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
2
+/-
0
Goals
2
Sh
7
A
0
+/-
2
Goals
0
Sh
1
A
2
+/-
-2
Goals
0
Sh
4
A
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's HockeyPress Conference: Rico Blasi January 27th 2025
Monday, January 27
St. Thomas Men's Hockey 2023-24 Intro Video
Friday, October 27
Rico Blasi Pre-Season Press Conference, September 26th, 2022
Friday, October 21
Rico Blasi Press Conference October 3rd
Friday, October 21
