For the first time in 15 years the Dordt Defender hockey team has qualified for the ACHA Division III National Hockey Tournament with a dramatic 5-4, double overtime win over Missouri State in the MACHA Silver Division Championship played at Maryville University in Chesterfield, Missouri.

The Defenders needed a third period comeback to force overtime and then survived several power play situations in the first overtime before Noah Wilmes's goal early in the second overtime ended it.

Missouri State scored with 12 minutes left in the first period and added a power play goal with 4:52 remaining in the initial period.  The 2-0 difference held through the second period with Dordt getting a goal waved off that would have made it 2-1.

Missouri State appeared to take control with a goal with 19:44 remaining and was poised to take the season series from the Defenders as the two teams had split in their January games in Sioux Center.

Levi Loken gave the Defenders a jolt with a goal at the 17:13 mark and Mason Carrels kept the Defenders in the hunt with a goal less than four minutes later on assists by Noah Wilmes and Andrew Benson. Ryler Schelle's goal with 8:45 on assists by Connor Raiche and Lucas Van Berkel evened the score and forced Missouri State to take a break.

The Bears had an answer with 6:46 gone in the period but Dordt took advantage of a power play to with  Loken scoring his second goal on assists by Zach Espenson and Rylan Veenstra.  The Defenders survived the next 3:45 to get to overtime and withstood several Missouri State charges with Isaiah Van Noord providing the backbone for the defense.

Van Noord remained cool under pressure in the overtime as he repeatedly made saves and the teams went to a second overtime. In the second extra session tournament mvp Noah Wilmes got a pass on the boards and beat the defense and the goalie to end the game with 4:01 gone in the second extra period.

Van Noord made 47 saves in goal and the Defenders outshot Missouri State 56-51.

Dordt will advance to the 16-team ACHA Division 3 National Championship field beginning on March 18 in Chesterfield, Missouri.  The Defenders are 23-4-1 and this is the first trip to nationals since Dordt advanced three straight years as the Dordt Blades in 2008, 2009 and 2010.