LESNIKOV NETS GAME WINNER IN LIONS OPENER

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

PSU ALTOONA OPENED ITS 2017-18 SEASON ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AGAINST THE IUP CRIMSON HAWKS WITH A 3-2 VICTORY. THE LIONS ENTER THE SEASON PRIMARILY WITH A NEW ROSTER. 13 NEW PLAYERS AND ONLY 3 RETURNERS MAKE UP THIS SEASON'S TEAM. THE GAME STARTED OUT AS A FEELING PROCESS FOR BOTH TEAMS PSU OUTSHOOTING IUP 7-5 IN THE FIRST PERIOD WITH THE SCORE TIED 0-0. THE LIONS WOULD PICK UP THE PACE DURING THE SECOND PERIOD, DOMINATING THE PLAY, OUTSHOOTING THE HAWKS 11-5. IT WOULDN'T BE UNTIL THE 12:38 MARK THAT CAMRIN YODER WOULD SNIPE IUP'S KEEPER TOP SHELF, GIVING THE LIONS A 1-0 LEAD. YODER WOULD LATER ASSIST JON BILEK'S GOAL AT 4:06 OF THE SECOND PERIOD EXTENDING THE LIONS LEAD TO 2-0. WITH :28 SECONDS REMAINING IN THE PERIOD FRESHMAN MAXIM LESNIKOV, WOULD SCORE WHAT WOULD BE THE EVENTUAL GAME WINNER. PSU WOULD LEAD AFTER TWO PERIODS, 3-0. PSU WOULD CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE PLAY THROUGHOUT THE THIRD PERIOD, UNTIL SOME UNTIMELY PENALTIES WOULD TURN THE TIDE IN IUP'S FAVOR. WITH UNDER 2:31 TO PLAY, THE HAWKS WOULD SCORE TWICE NARROWING THE LEAD TO 3-2. PSU WOULD FEVERISHLY HANG ON OUTLASTING THE HAWKS FOR THEIR FIRST WIN ON THE SEASON. KENNETH MACK WOULD TURN AWAY 16 SHOTS WITH HIS FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON. CAMRIN YODER WOULD WIN THE MVP BELT FOR HIS OUTSTANDING EFFORTS. THE LIONS TAKE ON CASE WESTERN AT HOME ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 8, 2017.