WEST DUNDEE – Playing under-manned crippled NIU hockey in its first game back from a month-long break, falling to the Roosevelt University Lakers (6-9, 4-6 GLCHL) by a final score of 7-3 Friday at Canlan Ice Sports.

Due to disciplinary reasons, the Huskies (1-18, 1-9 MCH) played the game with only 13 skaters, compared to the usual 20, and without key players such as senior forward Hunter Wahl, freshman forward Cam Pathana, and senior defenseman Alec Porzondek.

Despite the Huskies’ short bench, they welcomed sophomore forward Brandon Weitzel back from a knee injury.

Weitzel said despite still feeling some of his injury, it was good to get back into a game.

“Felt good,” Weitzel said. “It was a little sore getting back on the ice but this week, (I’ve) been pushing it in practice – conditioning was up to par. So I felt good coming into the game, felt confident and tried to leave it all out on the ice.”

The Lakers jumped on NIU early. Lakers defenseman Nick Privitera scored at 5:40 into the opening period to give his team the early lead.

The Huskies struggled to generate scoring chances for the remainder of the first period. A failed Huskie power play and 17 first-period saves by junior goaltender Ben Vutci sent NIU to the dressing room trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes.

The second period didn’t fare much better for NIU. The Lakers spent much time in the NIU zone.

Roosevelt broke through just under seven minutes into the second period. Forward Zach Demarce, sophomore defenseman Gage McNeish and sophomore forward Griffin Lehet all tallied goals in a three-and-a-half minute span to give Roosevelt a 4-0 lead midway through the second period.

Just after Roosevelt got off to a four-goal lead, NIU senior forward Drake Gieseke and Roosevelt sophomore forward Quinn Haller were each handed a five-minute major plus game misconduct for head contact. The penalty plus an injury to freshman forward Tommy Colwell put the Huskies down to 11 skaters for the remainder of the game.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net for the remainder of the second period, and NIU entered the final 20 minutes down 4-0.

The Huskies again struggled with resiliency Friday – something the team had focused heavily on before the break – and was a catalyst in the team’s slow start.

Head coach Brad Stoffers said while rust may have factored into Friday’s effort, his team needs to figure out how to keep a level head after giving up a goal.

“This whole season has been just ebbs and flows of games are crazy momentum swings. We can’t just, like, give up one goal and, like, bounce back,” Stoffers said. “The other team always piles it on, like three in a row every time. I think it’s something we talked about a little bit earlier in the year – just about eliminating that – trying to be aware and mentally strong.”

Freshman defenseman Sevrin Anderson said the team’s slow start was a product of missing players and having to regain chemistry lost over break.

“We’re a little sloppy sometimes on our passes just in the beginning,” Anderson said. “I think we had to get our chemistry back … plus just missing a few guys messed up everything.”

NIU was able to find offense 36 seconds into the third period. Sophomore defenseman Keaton Peters scored on a rebound off a shot from Weitzel to get NIU back within three goals.

Just under three minutes later, sophomore forward Jay Kliment took a big hit rushing into the Lakers’ zone but was able to slide the puck to senior forward Rodahn Evans on the right circle, who fired a shot past Roosevelt senior goaltender Nick Kotz to make it a 4-2 game.

That was as close as NIU would get. Roosevelt had another three-goals-in-four-minutes burst against sophomore goaltender Grant Goodson – who entered the game at the start of the third period – to put the Lakers up 7-2. Goodson made 11 saves in the third period.

Anderson responded at 12:35 into the third period, when his point shot found a hole through traffic in front of the net for his first collegiate goal.

Anderson said he was excited to score his first goal but the timing surprised him because he was at the end of his shift.

“It felt great. It’s (scoring) like no other feeling, really.” Anderson said. “I was dead tired. I thought I was about to get off the ice … I got a shot off – my first shot off. Horrible rebound came out right back to Rodahn (Evans). I got another shot off, another rebound right back out to Rhodie (Rodahn Evans). I got it and I got another shot and boom, it just went right past him.”

Anderson’s goal would be the last of the game for either team, and Roosevelt left West Dundee with a 7-3 win.

The Huskies had to battle through missing key players in their lineup, meaning some players had to fill bigger roles than normal.

Weitzel commended his teammates for stepping up in a short-handed situation.

“I thought the guys that played today really stepped up, especially with that short bench,” Weitzel said. “I’m proud of all the boys who stepped up and, you know, put their best foot forward and put all the effort that they had in today.”

With another matchup with Roosevelt looming Saturday, Stoffers said he wants his team to play a more simplified game.

“We need to have a little bit more simplified mindset,” Stoffers said. “Getting pucks to the net, trying to get a couple of dirty goals … get their goalies moving, put more pucks on net. We didn’t get nearly enough shots tonight and hopefully with a full bench, a little bit more rest and a little bit of our more regular guys in the lineup, you know, I think we can bounce back.”