Saint John's junior forward Justin Hochsprung (Alexandria, Minn.) tallied four points (3g/1a) as the Johnnies completed a series sweep (6-2 and 4-1) over Bethel to secure a share of their first MIAC regular-season title since 2005 over the weekend. He posted a pair of goals, one on the power play and the other as a shorthanded empty-netter, and was the lone assist on what proved to be the game-winner in Friday’s 6-2 win at Bethel. The win was just the second in nine games for SJU against the Royals at Schwan Super Rink (2-6-1 record). Hochsprung added the game-winner, on the power play, in the title-clinching 4-1 victory Saturday night.
He currently leads the team with a plus/minus rating of +15 and is third with 20 points (9g/11a). The 6-foot-2 junior entered the season with 11 career points (3g/8a) in 44 games. Hochsprung has 11 points (8g/3a) in his last 11 games, including a team-leading eight goals and a plus/minus rating of +10. His nine goals in conference play tied for fourth and his three shorthanded tallies led the league.
Second-seeded SJU (14-7-4, 9-4-3 MIAC) hosts the No. 3 seed, Concordia-Moorhead (13-11-1, 10-6-0 MIAC), for a 7 p.m. MIAC-playoff game Saturday, Feb. 23, at the National Hockey and Events Center in St. Cloud. SJU swept the Cobbers (2-1 and 3-1) earlier this season on Jan. 18-19 in Moorhead.
