GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A pair of late third-period penalties led to a pair of power play goals by the visiting Central Maine Mustangs Friday night. The end result was a hard-to-swallow 5-4 defeat for the Knights in a meeting of nationally-ranked teams at Eagles Ice Center.

Leading 4-3, Calvin was whistled for a pair of cross-checking penalties with 5:17 remaining in the third period. The 24^th-ranked Mustangs capitalized, scoring the equalizer with 4:27 left and then the winner 30 seconds later while still holding the man-advantage. Calvin pressed for its own equalizer in the closing minutes but came up empty.
Ranked 8^th in the latest ACHA D3 rankings, Calvin took an early 1-0 lead on a goal by Chris Bebelos with Harry Ottsen drawing an assist on the play.
Central Maine scored a few minutes later leading to a 1-1 game after one period of play.

Myles Radersma scored midway through the second period on an assist from Brock Hearth to give Calvin a 2-1 advantage but the Mustangs scored two minutes later to make it a 2-2 game heading into the final period of play.

Hearth broke the deadlock with under seven minutes left in regulation, ripping home a pass from Drew Klomparens. Central Maine was whistled for a penalty shortly after and the Knights made good on the power play opportunity as Keigan Oberski slapped home a shot off a pass from Sergey Yakunin with 7:08 left on the clock.

Central Maine got right back into the contest with a goal with 6:07 remaining to make it 4-3, setting up the eventful two-man advantage minutes later for the Mustangs that led to a pair of goals and the win.

Central Maine finished with a 28-24 shots on goal advantage. Garrett Walker had 23 saves in goal for the Knights.
COACHES COMMENT: "Credit to Central Maine," said Calvin head coach Austin Huizenga. "Being down two goals with under seven minutes left some teams would give up but they did not. For us, we have to learn to stay on the gas pedal and play a full 60 minutes."
NEXT UP: The two teams will square off in the series finale on Saturday at Eagles Ice Center at 3:30 p.m.