The #14 Purdue Northwest ACHA DI Hockey team battled all game but fell in the end to #8 UNLV in Day 1 of the ACHA Showcase, 3-0.

The Basics

• Records: #14 Purdue Northwest (8-7-1), #8 UNLV (10-4)
• Location: Canlan Sports – Romeoville, Illinois
• Attendance: 150

Inside The Numbers

• UNLV outshot Purdue Northwest 51-21, including a 21-shot opening period.
• All three goals were scored in the third period after a scoreless first 40 minutes.
• Both teams finished without a power-play goal; PNW went 0-for-2 and UNLV went 0-for-3.
• Each team recorded 18 penalty minutes on five infractions.
• Purdue Northwest freshman goaltender Caleb Kril (Whitmore Lake, Mich.) stood out for PNW with 48 saves on 51 shots.
• UNLV's Douglas Wakelyn earned the shutout, stopping all 21 shots he faced.

The Breakdown

• The first and second periods belonged to the goaltenders, as both teams skated to a 0-0 tie through 40 minutes despite UNLV generating heavy pressure in the offensive zone.
• The breakthrough came at 8:43 of the third when Heath Mensch put UNLV on the board, finishing a setup from Caleb Strong and Jaxsen Wyatt.
• UNLV extended the lead at 15:21 when Mason Kelly converted off feeds from Hayden Siegel and Dylan Jensen.
• Just 1:36 later, Charles Masek added the Rebels' third goal, assisted by Ryder McIntosh and Luke Backel, sealing the final 3-0 score.
• PNW generated its highest shot total of the night in the second period with 12 attempts but was unable to solve Wakelyn.
• The third period featured heavy special-teams activity, including four penalties in the final minute resulting in offsetting minors and game misconducts for both teams.
• Kril's strong performance kept the Pride within reach for most of the game, turning aside 48 shots in one of his highest-volume outings of the season.
• Despite disciplined defensive structure through two periods, PNW struggled to counter UNLV's sustained offensive zone time and transition speed in the third.

Up Next

• Purdue Northwest continues its ACHA Showcase schedule with Day 2 action on Friday, November 21 against Oregon. Puck-drip is set for 1:30 PM at the Canlan Sports Arena Complex in Romeoville, Illinois.