The Dordt hockey team defeated teh Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks on a 6-4 decision in the Vernon Arena on Friday night. Dordt was lead in scoring by Lucas Van Berkel who scored a hat-trick in the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Lucas Van Berkel got the defenders off to a quick start as he scored his first goal of the night just five minutes into the game. Van Berkel was assisted by Rylan Veenstra and Noah Wilmes. Van Berkel found himself a couple feet from goal and put a wrist shot into the upper corner on the back post. Van Berkel doubled the Defender lead around 10 minutes later. Dordt won a faceoff in their own zone that that Van Berkel took down the ice. Ryaln Veenstra laid it off to Noah Wilmes who then found Van Berkel a couple feet from the goal. Van Berkel slotted the puck to the near post to beat Mavericks' goalie, Cam Moore. Dordt took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Dordt wasted little time out of the break as Noah Wilmes scored just 43 seconds into the second period. Wilmes took a pass from Zach Espenson behind the net and then found the back of the net to go up 3-0. UNO's Andrew Kozol and Kolton Kane scored back-to-back goals in the seventh minute and 10th minute to cut into the Defender lead and make ti 3-2 with 10 minutes left in the second period. Ryan Veenstra added a goal five minutes later Zach Espenson took the puck across the UNO blue line. Espenson sent the puck off the boards behind the goal that found Luke Kester. Kester gave it to Veenstra who found space and scored the fourth goal right after the Defender power play ended. UNO answered bakc just two minutes later as Charlie Casey scored his first of the season, assisted by Barrett Bradley and Sabastian Cacioppo.

The third period began with a UNO power play after Luke Kester was given a two-minute minor for tripping. It took just eight seconds for the Mavericks to capitalize as Chalie Shae scored, assisted by Mason Boeff and Andrew Kozol. A minute later, Camden Forys was given two-minutes in the box for holding but he would only use ten seconds of the penalty before Levi Loken scored. Zach Espneson fed a pass to Rylan Veenstra who then found Loken in between the faceoff circles. Loken hit a one-timer to find the back of the net. Lucas Van Berkel secured the win and the hat-trick with 10:29 left in the game. Van Berkel forced a turnover in the the UNO zone and Ryaln Veenstra picked up the loose puck. Veesntra found Van Berkel who found the back post corner again.

Isaiah Van Noord secured 29 saves on 33 shots and his record improves to 9-0-1.

Dordt will travel to Omaha to play the second game of the series on Saturday, December 7. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:45 pm

HIGHLIGHTS