BOX SCORE

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Calvin punched its ticket to the ACHA D1 National Semifinals with a 6-2 quarterfinal win over No. 3 Niagara. The victory was a tournament upset as Calvin entered the game as the No. 11 seed in the tournament.

Calvin (23-8-2) exploded for four unanswered goals in the third period led by a pair of tallies from senior forward Krzyzstof Petryla to skate to the win.

Calvin will play in Monday's National Tournament semifinals at either 4:45 p.m. or 8 p.m. against an opponent to be determined as the ACHA reseeds its final four participants after the quarterfinal round.

In its victory over Niagara, Calvin carried strong early momentum but the Purple Eagles struck first on a steal and breakaway goal by Charlie Belanger with 9:32 left in the first period. The goal allowed Niagara to carry a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Calvin tied the contest on a goal out in front by sophomore Trent Benedict as he received a pass sent from behind the goal by senior Steven Ickes and whacked a shot home. The goal came 2:53 into the second. Niagara received another goal from Belanger midway through the second to take a 2-1 lead but the Knights responded with a clutch goal in the closing seconds of the second period as sophomore Owen Schrader redirected a shot by sophomore Dario Sacino near the left side of the goal into the net. The equalizer came with just 51 seconds left in the period, tying the game 2-2.

Calvin carried play in the third and broke through for the go-ahead goal 7:50 into the period on a shot by freshman Josh Hooper who banged in a rebound at the far post with junior Joel Fonovic and senior Lou Vesperini drawing assists on the play. Petryla then popped in back-to-back goals just three minutes apart to give the Knights a 5-2 lead. Benedict and freshman Marshall Beaker assisted on the first Petryla goal with Ickes and Benedict assisting on the second. Benedict added his second goal with 4:35 remaining, scoring an empty net tally off an assist from sophomore goalie Aidan Feddema to put the lid on the victory. Petryla now has five goals, an assist and six points in three ACHA Tournament games while Benedict has two goals, four assists and six points. Ickes has a goal, five assists and six points. 

Calvin finished the contest with a 40-36 shots on goal advantage. Feddema got the win in nets once again, stopping 34 of 36 Niagara shots.