The Johnnie hockey team continues its homestand with a pair of games against Saint Mary's on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1-2. Senior Night is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, followed by a 2 p.m. puck-drop Saturday at the National Hockey and Events Center in St. Cloud. Buses will be available for CSB/SJU students Friday night. – Listen Live (Both Games, Real Audio Player) | Live Stats (Both Games)
Preview Video:
-Head coach Doug Schueller (1:29)
FRIDAY NIGHT'S BUSES: The student buses will depart from the Bell Banner (SJU) at 6:15 p.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. pick-up at the HCC (CSB).
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (9-6-4, 4-3-3 MIAC) ran its unbeaten streak to six games (3-0-3 record) with a 1-1 tie and 5-1 win against Hamline last weekend. Junior Trent Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) gave the Johnnies a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 6:06 into the second period of Friday's game in Vadnais Heights. Hamline tied it at 1-1 with 56 seconds left in regulation to force the game into overtime and an eventual tie. A return to home ice seemed to ignite the Johnnies as sophomore Phil Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) posted a four-point game (1g/3a) and classmate John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.) tallied two goals as SJU erupted for three goals in a 5:11 span during the third period to break the game open. Haeg put the Johnnies on the scoreboard with a shorthanded goal at the 9:52 mark of the first period. Following a scoreless second period, junior Jason Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) made it 2-0 with his fourth goal of the year 8:02 into the third. Jordan Johnson cut Hamline's deficit to 2-1 with a sharp-angle shot a few feet from the end line 2:11 later. Haeg padded the Johnnies' lead with an unassisted goal, his ninth tally of the season, a minute later. Sophomore Nick Senta made it 4-1 with an empty-net goal, shorthanded, with 4:14 left. Phil Johnson ended the scoring with his seventh goal of the year 38 seconds later. Freshman Saxton Soley (Elk Mound, Wis.) made 19 saves to improve to 8-3-1 on the season. SJU out-shot the Pipers 31-20, including a 15-4 advantage in the opening period.
97%: The SJU hockey team boasts the MIAC's top penalty kill at 97 percent (32-for-33) in 10 conference games this season, including a 21-for-21 showing in its last seven games. Since the 1993-94 season, the Johnnies' best penalty kill (in conference games only) was 92.9 percent (65-for-70) in 2003-04.
BRICK WALL: Soley has allowed one goal in each of his last four games to earn a 3-0-1 record with a 0.98 GAA and a .957 save percentage (88 saves). He is currently second in the MIAC (conference games only) with a 1.48 GAA and a .941 save percentage in eight conference games.
ONE POINT: Haeg needs one point to become the first Johnnie since Andy Johnson (48 points from 2003-05) to record 20 points or more in each of his first two seasons. Haeg tallied 27 points (7g/20a) in 24 games as a freshman in 2011-12, including 22 points in conference play to finish second in the MIAC. He became the first freshman to lead SJU in scoring since Ryan Langenbrunner in 2002-03 (15g/24a).
A LOOK AT THE CARDINALS: Saint Mary's (7-11-1, 5-4-1 MIAC) enters this weekend's series with a 0-3-1 record in its last four games, including a pair of losses (7-3 and 2-0) to Augsburg last weekend. Freshman forward Mike Hill, a transfer from Division I Alaska-Anchorage and the MIAC's (all games) leader in points (tied with 21, 11g/10a), did not play in either of the two games against the Auggies. Junior forwards Bobby Thompson and Austin Balko have eight goals apiece, while sophomore defenseman Bob Marx is second on the team with nine assists. Three goaltenders have combined for a 4.03 GAA and a .869 save percentage for SMU, which is 3-9 on the road this season.
OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM: Saint Mary's started the season allowing, or scoring, five goals or more in nine of its first 10 games (10 of first 12), including an 8-1 loss to the Johnnies Nov. 28 in the MIAC Showcase. In total, SMU has scored or allowed five goals or more in 13 (6-7 record) of its 19 games this season. The Cardinals' largest margin of victory was 9-2 over Hamline Nov. 9 in Winona, while the largest goal deficit was a 12-2 decision at nationally-ranked St. Norbert (Wis.) Jan. 4.
EARLIER THIS SEASON: Saint John's erupted for five goals in the second period, including a natural hat trick by Haeg, as the Johnnies rolled to an 8-1 non-conference win over Saint Mary's Oct. 28 at the MIAC Showcase in Blaine. Phil Johnson gave SJU a 1-0 lead, at the 16:12 mark of the opening period. Senior Joe Harren (Warroad, Minn.) made it 2-0 with a power-play goal of his own 3:37 into the second period. Senior co-captain Michael Palmiscno (East Grand Forks, Minn.) added to the lead 2:49 later, eight seconds after another SJU power play expired. Haeg followed with three consecutive even-strength goals over a span of 11:58 in the second period. Senior co-captain Tobias Linbro (Nykvarn, Sweden) increased the Johnnies' lead to 7-0 with a breakaway goal 9:54 into the third period. Senta scored his first collegiate goal, on the power play, at the 12:19 mark. SMU erased the shutout with a power-play goal from Bobby Thompson with 2:44 left in the game. Soley made 18 saves to earn the win in his first collegiate start for SJU.
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 40-22-3 against Saint Mary's since the 1984-85 season, including wins in 18 of the last 22 meetings overall. SJU has split, however, each of the last three home series against SMU.
