ACHA Hockey Stuns Saginaw Valley State In Vezina Cup Semifinals

Hope will meet the University of Michigan in the title game.

The top-ranked Hope College ice hockey team staged a thrilling semifinal comeback to skate into the championship game of the Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference Vezina Cup playoffs.

The Flying Dutch topped fifth-ranked Saginaw Valley State University, 4-3, on Friday by scoring three unanswered goals over the final 13 minutes.

Hope (28-1) will face the University of Michigan's ACHA team in the title game on Saturday, March 4, at 7:15 p.m. at Patterson Ice Arena in Grand Rapids.

The Flying Dutchmen swept the regular-season series against the third-ranked Wolverines, winning 3-2 at Michigan and 4-2 on home ice at Griff's IceHouse West. Hope beat Michigan in the 2022 ACHA national championship game.

Against Saginaw Valley, junior right Jake Adams (East Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids HS) struck for a game-winning, power-play goal with seven minutes remaining off an assist from junior defenseman Ashton Bol (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian).

It was the Flying Dutchmen's only power play of the game.

Senior left wing Lucas Barber (Lake Orion, Michigan / Lake Orion) evened the score at 3-3 with 11 minutes remaining. The unassisted goal came two minutes after senior defenseman Niko Stamas (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Mattawan) pulled Hope within a goal off an assist from senior forward Kevin Healy (Rockford, Michigan / Rockford) and Barber.

Saginaw Valley, which handed the Flying Dutchmen its only loss during a series split in October, tied the score with six-tenths of a second remaining in the second period and took the lead with two goals early in the third period.

In the first period, freshman Keegan McNamara (Fenton, Michigan / Linden) opened the scoring on a goal off of assists from freshman forward Hunter Maschke (Portage, Michigan / Portage Central) and freshman forward Ryan Pomranky (Midland, Michigan H.H Dow).

Goalie Maclane Schick (Kohler, Wisconsin / Kohler) made 25 saves for Hope.

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Players Mentioned

#22 Jake Adams: RW; 6' 2"; Junior

#17 Lucas Barber: LW; 5' 10"; Senior

#65 Ashton Bol: D; 6' 5"; Junior

#19 Kevin Healy: F; 6' 2"; Senior

#30 Maclane Schick: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#5 Niko Stamas: D; 6' 2"; Fifth Year

#13 Ryan Pomranky: F; 6' 0"; Freshman

#8 Keegan McNamara: F; 6' 3"; Freshman

#20 Hunter Maschke: F; 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#22 Jake Adams
: 6' 2"; Junior
: RW

#17 Lucas Barber
: 5' 10"; Senior
: LW

#65 Ashton Bol
: 6' 5"; Junior
: D

#19 Kevin Healy
: 6' 2"; Senior
: F

#30 Maclane Schick
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

#5 Niko Stamas
: 6' 2"; Fifth Year
: D

#13 Ryan Pomranky
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: F

#8 Keegan McNamara
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: F

#20 Hunter Maschke
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: F