The Johnnies (5-14-2, 4-6-2 MIAC) host Saint Mary's (4-15-2, 3-7-2 MIAC) for a pair of games this Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 12-13. Senior Night is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, followed by Youth Hockey Day at 2 p.m. Sunday at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. Free buses will be provided to CSB/SJU students for Saturday night's game. They are scheduled to depart Sexton Commons at 6 p.m., followed by a pick-up at the Gorecki Center at 6:20 p.m. All of the buses will return to both sites following the game. – Listen Live (Both Games) | Live Stats (Both Games)
Preview Video:
-Head coach Doug Schueller (3:48)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's erased a three-goal deficit with a trio of goals in the third period to tie then-No. 8 Hamline 3-3 Feb. 5 and take three points from the series. Kyle Mattson and Jordan VanGilder gave the Pipers a 2-0 lead in the first period, before Ryan Kupperman added a power-play goal in the second. The third period, however, belonged to SJU, which outshot the Pipers 17-4 in the final period of regulation. Sophomore Tobias Linbro (Nykvarn, Sweden) erased the shutout with a pretty wrister over the glove of Hamline's Matt Hemingway 7:57 into the third, with an assist going to freshman James Saintey (Rosemount, Minn.). The Johnnies continued to pressure and forced Hamline to take its timeout with 8:10 remaining. Freshman Trent Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) cut the deficit to one with a power-play goal at the 16:30 mark. Senior Brent Brodersen (Shakopee, Minn.) and junior Conor Rooney (Stillwater, Minn.) were credited with the assists. Forty-five seconds later, sophomore Joe Harren (Warroad, Minn.) walked in on net and beat Hemingway glove-side to tie the game at 3-3. The Pipers held a slim 40-39 edge in shots on goal, including a 6-0 advantage in overtime. SJU killed off a power play in the final 55 seconds of the game. Junior Tony Civello (Shoreview, Minn.) made 37 saves in net. He was named the MIAC Men's Hockey Athlete of the Week for his performance against the Pipers, which included a 1.92 GAA and a .951 save percentage (77-81).
A LOOK AT THE CARDINALS: Saint Mary's (4-15-2 overall, 3-7-2 MIAC) is on a three game losing streak, with its latest loss coming to Augsburg, 4-3. Sophomore Kevin Wentland leads the team with 21 points (11g/10a), while freshman Austin Balko is second with 17 (7g/10a). Sophomore Jason Horstman is 3-11-2 in net with a .879 save percentage and a 4.27 GAA. He averages 30.6 saves per game.
THE LAST MEETING: SJU defeated SMU 4-0 in the season-opener (MIAC Showcase) last season, and then swept the conference series with scores of 5-2 and 4-0 in Winona. In the most recent victory, Rooney recorded three points (2g/1a) and sophomore Adam Andersson (Pixbo, Sweden) made 18 saves to earn the 4-0 shutout. Sophomore Jascha Pettit (Wadena, Minn.) and senior Pat McClure (Minnetrista, Minn.) tallied SJU's other two goals. The Johnnies out-shot SMU 34-18 in the game, including an 11-1 advantage in the first period alone. The Cardinals were 0-for-7 on the power play as the two teams combined for 18 penalties.
SERIES HISTORY: SJU is 37-21-3 against Saint Mary's since the 1984-85 season and has won 14 of the last 17 meetings. The Johnnies have either defeated or tied the Cardinals in 18 of the last 22 meetings (17-4-1) at the National Hockey Center. The Cardinals, however, have won two of the last four meetings in St. Cloud, each of which was decided by one goal.
RACE TO THE PLAYOFFS: The Johnnies are currently in a four-way tie for the fifth and final spot in the MIAC Playoffs with Augsburg, St. Olaf and Bethel. The Oles and Auggies face-off against each other this weekend, while Bethel plays St. Thomas. The Royals and Augsburg end the regular season with a two-game series next weekend. The Johnnies lost both games to Augsburg earlier this season, and will face St. Olaf next weekend.
