Purdue Claims MCRHL Division III Championship with 4–2 Victory Over Maryville
March 9th, 2026 at 5:49PM March 9th, 2026 9:52PM
Purdue Claims MCRHL Division III Championship with 4–2 Victory Over Maryville
Purdue captured the MCRHL Division III Championship on Saturday night at Salt Creek Sports Center in Palatine, Illinois, defeating Maryville 4–2 in a tightly contested title matchup. A strong defensive effort, timely scoring, and a standout performance from goaltender Ben Wehrmann helped the Boilermakers secure the championship.
Purdue Strikes First
Purdue opened the scoring early in the first period when Gabe MacPhail found the back of the net at 3:26. MacPhail finished a play created by Sean Rodgers and Henry Loxton, giving the Boilermakers an early 1–0 lead.
Maryville generated several chances of their own during the opening frame, but Purdue goaltender Ben Wehrmann turned aside every shot he faced to maintain the lead heading into the second period.
Defensive Battle Through Two Periods
The second period remained a defensive stalemate as both teams tightened up in their own zones. Despite several opportunities on both sides, neither team was able to solve the opposing goaltender, sending the game into the third period with Purdue still holding the narrow one-goal advantage.
Wild Third Period Decides Championship
The offense finally broke open in the third period.
Maryville tied the game at 5:13 when Jackson Kammien converted a pass from Ryan Zangeneh, bringing the score to 1–1 and shifting momentum toward the Saints.
Purdue responded quickly. Just 44 seconds later, Alston Zhang restored the Boilermakers’ lead at 5:57 after finishing a feed from Jack Bialecki.
The Boilermakers extended their advantage midway through the period when Ben Wehrmann scored at 8:16 off an assist from Austin Rawlins, giving Purdue a 3–1 cushion.
Maryville refused to go away quietly. Collin Johnson brought the Saints back within one with an unassisted goal at 9:29, setting up a tense final stretch.
With Maryville pressing late and their goalie pulled for the extra attacker, Wehrmann sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 11:27, his second goal of the night, securing the 4–2 win and the championship for Purdue.