The Johnnies (1-0-1, 0-0-0 MIAC) continue non-conference play by traveling to face two nationally-ranked teams this weekend, beginning with No. 13 St. Scholastica on Friday, Nov. 6 (Listen Live | Live Stats | Directions). Gametime is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Mars Lakeview Arena in Duluth. SJU then takes on No. 4 Wis.-Superior for a 4:05 p.m. game on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Wessman Arena in Superior, Wis. (Listen Live | Directions).
Preview Video:
-Head Coach Doug Schueller (3:54)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: The Saint John's University hockey team posted a 1-0-1 record at the MIAC Showcase last weekend. The Johnnies opened their 2009-10 season with a 4-0 shutout against Saint Mary's and then tied St. Thomas, 1-1. Senior forward Karl Gilbert (Hermantown, Minn.) scored a natural hat trick and senior goaltender Stu Van Ess (Kewaskum, Wis.) made 22 saves to post his first career win and shutout in Saturday's win. Van Ess then made a career-high 34 saves in the 1-1 tie on Sunday.
A LOOK AT THE SAINTS: No. 13 College of St. Scholastica (2-0, 2-0 NCHA) opened its season with a weekend sweep of Wis.-Stevens Point on Oct. 30-31; the first time in school history that the Saints have opened their season with two straight wins. Despite losing 10 players from a team that went 20-7-2 overall with its first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in the program's history, the Saints were picked to finish sixth this season in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA).
THE LAST MEETING: The last time these two teams met was on Jan. 13, 2007, where they finished in a 1-1 tie in overtime. Joel Stacklie scored a goal, assisted by Gilbert and Clayton Rehm, at 4:41 in the second to put the Johnnies on top 1-0. The Saints' Matt Stengl later scored on the power play at 16:33 in the same period. Saint John's outshot St. Scholastica 30-17 in regulation and 3-1 in overtime. Johnnie goaltender Vince Wheeler had 17 saves in the game. – Box Score
A LOOK AT THE YELLOWJACKETS: No. 4 Wis.-Superior (0-2, 0-2 NCHA) opened its season with two losses to unranked Wis.-River Falls last weekend (2-1, 7-4). Last season, Wis.-Superior posted a 23-4-3 record and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division III tournament.
THE LAST MEETING: Wis.-Superior won the last meeting 5-2 on Jan. 14, 2007. The Johnnies got off to a good start by scoring two goals in the first period to take an early 2-0 lead. Wis.-Superior, however, scored five unanswered goals to take the win. The Johnnies outshot the Yellowjackets, 27-25. Johnnie goaltender Vince Wheeler had 20 saves in the loss. – Box Score
