Lake Forest College Sports Information
February 15, 2003
Contact: Mike Wajerski, SID

Bruni Reaches Century Mark but Foresters are Eliminated by Stevens Point
Team falls just short of making first-ever trip to NCHA Semifinals
  

Matt Bruni finished his career with 38 goals and 63 assists.
STEVENS POINT, WI - The Lake Forest College men's hockey team had its season come to an end after dropping a weekend (February 14-15) series at UW-Stevens Point. The teams played to a 3-3 tie on Friday and Stevens Point edged out the Foresters 6-5 on Saturday. The Pointers will take their 14-11-2 record to St. Norbert College in two weeks for the semifinals of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association tournament. Lake Forest's final record for the 2002-03 season is 13-9-5.

Forester freshman Tyler Steen (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Royals) scored the first goal of the weekend at the 16:43 mark of Friday's first period off a pass from sophomore Robin Charest (Cabano, Quebec/Coaticooh Jr. A).

After Stevens Point's James Jernberg tied the score just 33 seconds into the second, sophomore Ryan Scapinello's (Guelph, Ontario/Stratford Cullitons) regained the lead for the Foresters at the 16:19 mark. Both Steen and Charest recorded assists on Scapinello's fourth goal of the season.

Charest got his third assist on Steen's second goal of the game and eighth of the year with 1:38 remaining in regulation to put the visitors ahead by two. Stevens Points pulled its goalie and Adam Kostichka scored for the home team with 55 seconds to play in regulation. Justin Micek then tied the game with 33 seconds left in the third.

Lake Forest sophomore Cody Brown (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Canucks) tallied seven saves in the five-minute overtime and 42 in the game. The Pointers' Ryan Scott had 28 saves.

On Saturday, Stevens Point's Ryan Kirchhoff scored the game's first goal at the 5:53 mark of the first period. Forester senior David Evans (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Royals) tied the game at 12:06 with his team-high 20th goal of the season. Junior Adrian Wong (Richmond, British Columbia/Fernee Ghostwriters) and senior Matt Bruni (Unionville, Ontario/Aurora Tigers) each recorded an assist. It was the 100th point of Bruni's career. Stevens Point led 3-1 at the close of the period after a goal by Andy Corran at 12:55 and one by Zenon Kochan at 14:20.

Lake Forest junior Rob Bilcox (Calgary, Alberta/Bow Valley Eagles) scored just 17 seconds into the second period to cut the lead to one. Evans and Bruni were each credited with an assist. However, Micek scored for Stevens Point just 49 seconds later. Junior Bryan O'Connor (Calgary, Alberta/Calgary Canucks) closed out the second period scoring and brought the Foresters back to within one at 7:07. Sophomore Ryan Panet (Markham, Ontario/Wexford Raiders) earned an assist on O'Connor's eighth of the year.

Kirchhoff scored his second of the game at the 9:29 mark of the third period to give Stevens Point a 5-3 lead. Bilcox scored his second of the game and fourth of the season off a pass from sophomore Andrew Francone (Unionville, Ontario/Milton Merchants) at 14:23. Seventeen seconds later, Charest finally tied the score with his eighth of the year. Junior Chris Rook (Barrie, Ontario/Milton Merchants) and sophomore Derek Myronuk (Smithville, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) recorded the assists. Corran's goal at 17:07 was his second of the game and proved to be the game winner for the Pointers.

Brown had 32 saves for the visitors while Scott stopped 19 for Stevens Point.

At 13-9-5, Lake Forest finished the season four games over .500 for the second time since the 1990-91 season. Six Foresters scored at least eight goals and 11 reached double figures in points. Evans, Bruni, and Tom Dutton (Wadsworth, IL/Culver Military Academy) are the squad's only seniors.

Friday's Box Score
Saturday's Box Score