Cyclone Hockey allowed not one, but two goals in front of its net Friday night.

That turned out to be the difference in the Central States Collegiate Hockey League opener.

Vegard Faret buried a rebound from Kyler Newman to tie the game at one and with 58 seconds left in the second period, Colton Craigo came out of a frenzy with the puck and pushed it past Kozak for the go-ahead goal as the second-ranked Lions squeaked by fifth-ranked Cyclone Hockey 3-1 inside the Ames/ISU Ice Arena.

It’s the first time the Cyclones (4-3) have lost the first game of a weekend series this year — and they are now on a two-game losing streak.

“We’re disappointed,” coach Jason Fairman said. “They know that’s one of the strengths of our team, we lost battles that led to goals. Think they know that. The second goal, our guys said it just hit his stick when he had it up in the air.”

The middle period kicked off with three tripping penalties — two by Lindenwood — to create a 4-on-3 power play for Iowa State.

Right as Landon Michniak came out of the penalty box, Matty Moran fired a wrist-shot glove side that went top shelf past Lions junior goalie Cooper Seedott for his second goal of the year to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead.

After six games of going without a power play goal, Cyclone Hockey registered its first at the 3:27 mark.

“I figured we’d need another one,” Fairman said.

When the Cyclones needed their power play to deliver a game-tying or go-ahead goal, the Lions’ penalty kill came through.

Once in the second looking to break the 1-1 tie and once in the third searching for an equalizer, Cyclone Hockey was held off the scoreboard with the man advantage.

A crucial offsides call when the Cyclones had a 3-on-1 breakaway before the Lindenwood penalty and two chances requiring Seedott to sprawl added to the missed opportunities.

Brendan Murphy delivered the dagger at 17:23, firing a shot on the right side of the ice past Kozak stick side for the two-goal cushion.

For the third straight game, Cyclone Hockey was held to a single goal.

“We’ll have low-scoring goals over the course of the season,” Fairman said. “That may play out all season.”

Despite getting outshot 9-7, the Lions spent plenty of time in the Cyclone Hockey zone. 

It didn’t lead to an opening goal.

Senior goalie Nikita Kozak was a brick wall in net, stopping the majority of shots with his chest.

It was the same story, different day for the Cyclones offense.

After a turnover in the Lions zone, Payton McSharry shot the puck right at Seedott’s chest. Chased by a pair of defenders, Dylan Goggin couldn’t get a clean shot off a breakaway.

Cyclone Hockey was coming off its second consecutive series split and now will have to win tonight at 7:30 to make it three in a row.

“Tomorrow’s a must-win,” Fairman said. “Against our league rival, national implications, to our league, all that. We need to know as a young team that we can knock off one of the top teams in the ACHA.”