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Post-Game Interviews:
-Haeg & Schueller (0:57)
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's earned a trip to the MIAC Playoffs with a 4-1 win over Bethel on Thursday, Feb. 16, in St. Cloud.
With the win, SJU clinched at least third place/No. 3 seed in next week's MIAC Playoffs. The game pitting the second and third seeds is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Johnnies were picked to finish eighth out of nine teams in the MIAC Preseason Coaches' poll released in late October.
Freshman John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.) gave SJU (11-11-2, 9-6-0 MIAC) a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 3:31 into the game. Freshman Nick Vatnsdal (Independence, Minn.) and sophomore Axel Ramsgard (Gothenburg, Sweden) assisted on the scoring play. The Johnnies outshot the Royals with a low total of 6-5 in the opening period, including two off the pipe.
Bethel (7-15-2, 5-8-2 MIAC) tied the game at 1-1 with an unassisted goal from E.J. Gann off an SJU giveaway in the defensive zone at the 3:41 mark of the second period.
Sophomore Josh Gross (Maple Grove, Minn.) gave the lead back to the Johnnies with a power-play goal, his fourth on the man advantage this season (seventh overall), with 4:22 left in the second. Haeg and Vatnsdal collected the assists.
The Johnnies ended a 0-for-8 skid on the power play with a pair of goals on two power-play shots to finish 2-for-3.
Junior Jascha Pettit (Wadena, Minn.) gave SJU a cushion with his team-leading 11th goal of the season 12:43 into the third, with an assist going to freshman Phil Johnson (Duluth, Minn.).
Junior Michael Palmiscno (East Grand Forks, Minn.) ended the scoring with an empty-net goal at the 19:05 mark, with assists going to Ramsgard and sophomore Justin Hochsprung (Alexandria, Minn.).
Junior J.D. Wells (Anoka, Minn.) made 23 saves to improve his record to 7-1-0 on the year. SJU killed off all six BU power plays.
SJU travels to face the Royals in the regular-season finale on Friday, Feb. 17. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the National Sports Center in Blaine.
