Hockey | 2/1/2026 7:15:00 PM
Bottineau, N.D. - The Golden Eagles have wrapped up the regular season on a four game win streak following their 10-2 win over Dakota College at Bottineau. With the WCCHA Regular Season also coming to an end, the bracket is set for the WCCHA Championship and the race for the Carla Berg Cup starts this Friday, and the Golden Eagles will take on North Dakota State University. In net for the Golden Eagles tonight was Tyler Swanson (So., G, Moorhead, Minn.) who entered with a 9-2-0 record, a 2.18 goals against average, and a .927 save percentage. For the Lumberjacks, it was Josh Mack again. Now with a 2-12-0 record, a 7.76 goals against average and a .861 save percentage.
The first period was the only time where the game seemed like it could be a tight game, with the Lumberjacks getting on the board first when Gage Fox scored just over eight minutes into the opening period. Four minutes later, we were all tied up because of a Ben Hines (Jr., F, Detroit Lakes, Minn.) goal with Braden Van de Kraats (So., F, Medicine Hat, Alberta) and Logan Syrup (5th, F, Park River, N.D.) assisting. The Golden Eagles did have the advantage in shots after one at 19-9, despite the score being even at one apiece.
The tie game did not last long, with Fox Dodds (5th, F, Watford City, N.D.) scoring his first goal of the game just three and a half minutes into the period. Anthony Foster (Jr., F, Warroad, Minn.) had the primary assist for his sixth point of the weekend and Tyler Swanson had the secondary assist for his first career point! Just three and a half minutes later, Fox Dodds had his second goal of the afternoon. Mason Romfo (So., F, Langdon, N.D.) had the lone assist for his sixth point of the weekend. Three minutes later, Foster had a goal to put the Golden Eagles ahead 4-1, Romfo had the only assist on this one as well. 40 seconds later, it was a 5-1 game when Logan Syrup scored on a goal that was assisted by Van de Kraats. The Lumberjacks did get one back with five and a half minutes left when Schmeichel scored to bring the score within three. The second period came to an end with the Golden Eagles ahead 5-2.
The Golden Eagles got things started immediately in the third, with Van de Kraats scoring just a minute and a half into the final 20, Ben Hines had the assist. The Golden Eagles proceeded to score three goals in a span of one minute and 48 seconds, starting with 12:11 on the clock. Fox Dodds started it with his hat trick goal, his fifth hat trick as a Golden Eagle and the sixth of his collegiate career. Foster had the only assist on the goal. With 11:03 on the clock, Kadin Edwards (Fr., F, Crookston, Minn.) scored to make it 8-2 with Tyler Lorenz (So., D, Shakopee, Minn.) assisting. With 10:23 on the clock, Dalston Kelly (Jr., F, Minto, N.D.) decided to join in on the fun with a goal. Rudy Moser (So., F, Langdon, N.D.) and Conner Hanson (Fr., F, Warren, Minn.) collected the assists. Finally, with 7:36 left, the Golden Eagles scored their 10th and final goal of the game, with Ben Hines scoring his second of the game with Logan Syrup assisting. That would be it for the scoring, as the Golden Eagles now head into the conference tournament with a 10-2 win in the books.
The Golden Eagles will play their quarterfinal game on Friday at 8:15 p.m. in the Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota against North Dakota State University.
