National Championships (2009,2010)
2009
One year after falling short in national championship game, the 2008-09 Lindenwood men's ice hockey team seemed poised to break through. The Lions started strong, winning 16 of their first 18 games, however, it was a midseason matchup against rival Illinois that would set the tone for the rest of the season. The Illini were the ones who had denied Lindenwood of a national title the year before and had won four straight against the Lions. After falling 4-0 to Illinois in the first game, Lindenwood responded with a 5-0 shutout the following night. That win would spark a 20 game winning streak to end the regular season. A setback in the conference tournament semifinals forced the Lions to regroup heading into the national tournament. The team would cruise to the national championship game, outscoring its opponents 24-4 in its first three games, but waiting for the Lions were those very same Illini. Lindenwood dispatched of Illinois 4-1 to win the program's first ever national championship and finished the season with a school record 42 wins.
2010
After finishing the 2008-09 season as national champions the Lindenwood Lions men’s ice hockey team had one goal for the 2009-10 season – a repeat title. That quest started off with a bang. The Lions won their first 24 games of the season while averaging almost seven goals a game. The only little bump in the road for the Lions came when Ohio University came to St. Charles and swept a two game series. But the bad taste in the Lions’ mouth did not last long as the team would bounced right back with a streak of eight wins in nine games. The regular season would close with the Lions holding a 35-5 record and the favorites heading into postseason play. First up was a trip to Ames, Iowa for the CSCHL Championship. Four straight wins gave the Lions the conference championship for the second straight year. After winning the conference championship it was time for the Lions to travel to Chicago, Ill. for a chance to complete their goal of becoming back-to-back national champions. The first two games of the tournament the Lions would win big over Rutgers, 8-2, and Minot State, 7-2. The semifinals were next and Central Oklahoma was the opponent. Lindenwood dominated the play and would shutout Central Oklahoma, 4-0. There was only one team standing in the way for the Lions and it was the Iowa State Cyclones. After a scoreless first period the Lions would score two goals in a two minute span in the second period and would hold on to that lead in the third to become back-to-back national champions.
