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WINONA, Minn. – Saint John's stayed in the thick of the MIAC playoff race with a 3-2 win at Saint Mary's on Friday, Feb. 3, in Winona.

Following a scoreless first period, SJU gained a 1-0 lead with a breakaway goal from junior Jascha Pettit (Wadena, Minn.) 1:54 into the second. The goal, Pettit's team-leading ninth of the season, was assisted by sophomore Josh Gross (Maple Grove, Minn.) and freshman John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.).

SMU (4-15-1, 1-9-1 MIAC) tied the game at the 10:14 mark of the second period with a goal from Ryan Griffiths.

Gross gave the lead back to the Johnnies (8-10-2, 6-5-0 MIAC) with his sixth goal of the season 2:57 later. Haeg tallied his second assist of the game on the scoring play.

Griffiths gave SJU a five-minute power play late in the second period, due to a major boarding penalty. Freshman Wally Cossette (Maple Grove, Minn.) increased the Johnnies' lead to 3-1 just before the penalty expired, with assists going to sophomore Trent Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) and junior Michael Palmiscno (East Grand Forks, Minn.).

The lead was cut back to one, 3-2, with a goal from the Cardinals' Brad Fusaro 1:05 later.

Gross and Haeg produced 13 points (4g/9a) in the five games leading up to last weekend's series with Hamline last weekend; a pair of games that Haeg missed due to illness.

Junior J.D. Wells (Anoka, Minn.) made 24 saves to improve to 4-0-0 on the season.

A pair of Johnnies rattled the crossbar in the contest. Sophomore Jason Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) chipped the paint with 2:26 left in the first period, while Palmiscno hit the pipe late in the third.

SJU has now won 16 of the last 20 meetings with SMU, as well as a 13-4-2 record in in the last 19 games in Winona (wins in eight of the last nine games at SMU Ice Arena).

The Johnnies and Cardinals wrap up the weekend series with a 4 p.m. puck-drop Saturday, Feb. 4, in Winona.