Box Score

Box Score

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - The Panthers used a strong fourth quarter to pull away from St. Thomas 14-9 in the MCLA D2 National Championship. DU outscored the Tommies 7-1 in the fourth quarter to win the championship, their first in the programs four-year history.

In the first half, both teams struggled to find the back of the net as the two teams combined for six first half goals. The Tommies scored first then Shawn Beer (Aurora, Ontario), who was named MCLA Tournament MVP,  responded with his first goal of the game to tie the score at 1-1.

St. Thomas scored three of the next four goals with Jordan Richtsmeier (Grand Rapids, Mich.) tallying the Panthers goal as DU trailed 4-2 at halftime.

The Tommies scored two quick goals after halftime to open up a 6-2 advantage. However, the Panthers scored 12 of the next 15 goals to finish the game.

Sam Carlson (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Taylor Keyworth (Grand Rapids, Mich.) scored back-to-back Panther goals to pull to within two goals at 6-4. St. Thomas scored to increase the margin to three, but Keyworth and Beer scored twice more for the Panthers to close to one goal at 7-6. The Tommies scored to end the period with an 8-6 score.

The Panthers opened the fourth quarter on fire, scoring the first eight goals of the quarter. In the quarter, DU outscored the Tommies 8-1 to take the 14-9 win.

DU used balanced scoring as six different Panthers tallied scores in the fourth. Beer, Carlson, Cody Cross (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Keyworth, Dominic Boggiano (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Quintin St. Clair (Grand Blanc, Mich.) all scored in the final stanza.

Beer and Keyworth led DU with four goals apiece. Boggiano had five assists to led the team in helpers.

Zach Higgins (Courtice, Ontario) started in goal for the Panthers, while Alexis Buque (Whitby, Ontario) played the final 30 minutes between the pipes. The two combined for 17 saves. 

Joining Shawn on the All-Tournament team was Cody Cross and Mac Ganzak.