In a thrilling Hap Cup Championship showdown, The Pride D2 Hockey team fought valiantly against Marian University, coming up just short in a 5-4 nail-biter. A packed crowd witnessed an intense back-and-forth battle, with PNW pushing Marian to the limit in the final moments.
Marian struck first, wasting little time as Easton Nick buried a rebound off an Owen Butler shot just 1:06 into the game. PNW responded quickly, showcasing their offensive firepower at 3:56 when Savva Verbetskii (Ekaterinburg, Russia/) threaded a perfect pass to a charging Jacob Behnke (South Elgin, Ill.), who slotted home the equalizer.
The remainder of the first period was a physical chess match, with both teams trading penalties but failing to convert. A stretch of 4-on-4 play saw neither team break through—until the final minute of the period. With just 52 seconds left, Jordan Degouw worked his way behind the net and finished a slick backhand feed from Sam Snider (St. John, Ind.), giving PNW a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
PNW carried that momentum into the second period, starting on the penalty kill but turning the tables instead. Just 53 seconds in, Verbetskii took off on a breakaway and lifted a backhander top shelf for a stunning shorthanded goal, pushing PNW ahead 3-1. However, Marian clawed its way back, with Nick striking on a 4-on-4 at 3:52, followed by a highlight-reel twisting backhander from Gavyn Galloway at 12:20 to even the score.
With the championship hanging in the balance, the third period became a battle of willpower. PNW had 21 seconds of power-play time to start but couldn't generate a scoring chance. Instead, Marian took the lead at 1:15 when Cayden Frenette slipped one past the goaltender. A critical PNW penalty at 13:52 proved costly, as Frenette struck again, tipping in a shot from Nick just 11 seconds into the power play to extend Marian's lead to 5-3.
But PNW refused to go quietly. With 2:26 remaining, they pulled their goaltender, and their aggressive play paid off when Flynn O'Neill found a bouncing puck and buried it at 19:23, cutting the deficit to one. The final 37 seconds had the crowd on edge as PNW mounted one last surge, narrowly missing the equalizer in the dying moments.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, PNW showcased resilience and determination, proving they belong among the elite. Their performance in the Hap Cup Championship sets the stage for a hopeful Regional birth.
