CANTON, N.Y.--John Byce scored one goal and set up another, while goaltender Curtis Joseph made 32 saves, leading Wisconsin to a 3-1 victory over St. Lawrence last night in the first game of their NCAA Division I hockey playoff series.
The teams meet again tonight at Appleton Arena in the best-of-three opening-round series, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals at Minnesota next weekend. A third game, if necessary, would be played tomorrow night.
Wisconsin (24-14-5), which suffered a 7-0 drubbing in the first game of the quarterfinals against the Saints last year, killed off three St. Lawrence power plays in the first period and took a 3-0 lead.
Gary Shuchuk gave the Badgers an early lead on their second shot on goal. Steve Rohlik outhustled the St. Lawrence defense in the left corner and passed out to Shuchuk in the left circle. Shuchuk beat goalie Paul Cohen with a quick wrist shot at the 1:35 mark.
Byce, who led the WCHA in goals during the regular season with 23, gave Wisconsin a 2-0 lead on a similar play from the right side with 2:53 left in the period. Sean Hill gained control of the puck in the right corner and fed Byce in the right circle, and his quick shot eluded Cohen. It was Byce's 26th goal of the season.
Byce set up the Badgers' third goal, intercepting a pass in the center-ice area and feeding defenseman Paul Stanton, who closed in on Cohen from the right side and beat him with a low shot with only 40 seconds left in the period for his seventh goal of the season.
L.S.S. 6, St Cloud 3
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich.--Lake Superior State's Anthony Palumbo had one goal and four assists, leading the defending national champions to a 6-3 victory over St. Cloud State in first-round NCAA hockey action last night.
The Lakers (28-9-6) had four goals in the first period, including Palumbo's power-play tally at the 14:42 mark. St. Cloud (17-15-2) managed one goal at the 11:51 mark from Tim Hanus on a power play.
Mark Astley had the winning goal at the 18:27 mark of the first period, which ended, 4-1.
"In the playoffs, you just have to work hard. It just came to me tonight," Palumbo said.
"You need guys like Anthony Palumbo, who look like they want to play forever," said Lake Superior Coach Frank Anzalone, who wasn't completely thrilled with his team's win in the best-of-three series that continues tonight.
Boston College 8, Bowling Green 5
NEWTON--Steve Heinze scored two goals and added one assist to help Boston College to a 8-5 victory over Bowling Green last night in the first game of best-of-three NCAA Division I hockey tournament series.
A crowd of 3500 spectators saw the Hockey East regular-season champions go up, 4-1, early in the second period when David Emma scored the third straight Eagle goal at the 1:26 mark on Falcon goalie Paul Connell.
Bowling Green's Joe Quinn tried to get the momentum back with a goal at 2:24, making the score, 4-2, but the Eagles answered back.
N. Michigan 9, Providence 5
LANSING, Mich.--Northern Michigan exploded for three goals in a 2:32 span midway through the second period en route to a 9-5 triumph over Providence in the first game of a best-of-three NCAA Division I hockey playoff series last night.
The three-goal N. Michigan explosion erased a 4-3 Friar lead, which was sparked by two goals and an assist from Providence's Lyle Wildgoose.
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