Hockey fights hard, takes close loss against Oakland

The hockey team competed in the ACHC regional tournament last weekend, playing Saginaw Valley State University on Friday and Oakland University on Saturday. The team needed to win both games to advance to the ACHA national championships. The team won against Saginaw Valley 8-0, advancing to the final game, of which a win would bring them to the national tournament. The game was close. The Flying Dutchmen fought hard for the win but took a tough loss at 5-4 against Oakland. The team is now 27-3-2 for the season, and without the Saturday win will not automatically return to the national tournament to defend their national champion title of the year before.

The team waits to hear if they will receive a bid to the national tournament, which will be held on March 21-31 in Frisco, Texas. The national tournament hosts five divisions, 72 teams and 109 games over the ten day period. The Flying Dutchmen won their first national title last year in an exciting game against Oakland University, whom they lost to on Saturday. The team has gone to the national tournament for 15 consecutive years before a two year hiatus, returning triumphantly to claim the title last year. Over the 15 year run they claimed four runner up finishes, and hope to return to the tournament this year to play hard for another outright win. With a stronger record than the previous years (25-8-2), it looks possible more gritty play.