Saint John's travels east for a two-game series at Concordia (Wis.) this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7-8. Friday's game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. puck-drop Saturday at the Ozaukee Ice Center in Mequon, Wis. – Live Stats/Live Video
Preview Video:
-Head coach Doug Schueller (0:55)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (2-4-1, 1-3-0 MIAC) enter this weekend's series following a three-week break from competition and their last game, a 4-2 win over Augsburg Nov. 17. The Johnnies erased a 2-1 deficit with three goals in the final 7:49 of the victory. Senior Michael Palmiscno (East Grand Forks, Minn.) gave SJU a 1-0 lead with his second goal of the season at the 14:17 mark of the opening period. Senior Joe Harren (Warroad, Minn.) and sophomore Josh Gaughan (Buffalo, Minn.) were credited with the assists. The Auggies tied the game at 1-1 at the 10:58 mark of the second period. The visitors outshot SJU 17-6 in the second period but failed to convert on any of their four power-play opportunities, including a 37-second, five-on-three advantage. Niklas Almstrom gave the Auggies their first lead of the game 7:08 into the third period. Senior Jascha Pettit (Wadena, Minn.) tallied the equalizer 5:03 later on a play created from nifty passing by junior Justin Hochsprung (Alexandria, Minn.) and sophomore John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.). Haeg crashed the net and tallied his fifth goal of the season 1:38 later and ended the scoring with an empty-netter with 1:17 remaining. Hochsprung tallied the assists on both goals to finish with three for the game. Freshman Saxton Soley (Elk Mound, Wis.) made 31 saves, nine on the power play, to improve to 2-2 on the season.
A LOOK AT THE FALCONS: Concordia (4-7-0, 4-4-0 MCHA) enters this weekend's home series riding a four-game losing streak. Freshmen Eli Riddle (1g/8a) and Devin Stuermer (4g/5a) lead the team with nine points each. Freshman Jake Hebda has been between the pipes all 11 games and holds a 4-6 record with a 3.68 GAA and a .895 save percentage on the year. Eighteen of the 22 players who have tallied a point so far this season are freshmen.
LAST YEAR'S SERIES: The Johnnies went 1-0-1 against the Falcons over Thanksgiving weekend last season. SJU outshot the Falcons 38-12, including a 27-6 advantage in the final two periods, in the 5-2 win in the first game. Senior Jascha Pettit (Wadena, Minn.) gave SJU a 1-0 lead 9:48 into the game. Russell Johnson tied the contest at 1-1 with a power-play goal 1:23 later for CUW before sophomore Phil Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) gave the lead back to SJU from Pettit, who added his second goal of the night 3:10 later to give the Johnnies a 3-1 lead. Junior Jason Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) extended the lead to 4-1 at the 18:14 mark of the second period with assists going to the other two Johnsons, Phil and Trent. Lukas Allen added a power-play goal for the Falcons 5:58 into the final period.
The Johnnies posted a 44-12 edge in shots after the first period and won 46 of the game's 66 faceoffs but settled for a 2-2 tie in the series' finale. The Falcons found the scoreboard first with a power-play goal from Tanner Tryggestad with 2:21 remaining in the first period and Nick Roscoe '12 tied the game 21 seconds into the second period. Russell Johnson gave the lead back to CUW with a power-play goal 8:58 into the third. Conor Rooney '12 tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal of his own, with 1:45 left. The goal capped a furious surge in which SJU outshot the Falcons 23-5 in the final period. SJU produced nine shots on goal and a number of scoring chances in overtime but could not find the back of the net. Senior J.D. Wells (Anoka, Minn.) made 13 saves in the first two periods before he was relieved by Tony Civello '12, who made seven stops to earn credit for the tie. Concordia's Josh Lehr made 53 saves. All four of the Falcons' goals against SJU last season came on the power play.
