The SJU hockey team (5-5, 3-3 MIAC) hosts a pair of nationally-ranked teams this week, beginning with a 7 p.m. puck drop on Thursday against Wisconsin-River Falls at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center (HBNHC) in St. Cloud. The Johnnies then play host to St. Scholastica for "Pack the MAC" Night at 7:15 p.m. Friday at the Municipal Athletic Complex (MAC) in St. Cloud. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM, Both Games) | Live Stats (Both Games) | Live Video (Thursday)

Preview Video:
-Head coach Doug Schueller (1:32)

FREE STUDENT BUSES FOR FRIDAY: The free 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 (5-5, 3-3 MIAC) returns to non-conference action following its weekend split with then-No. 15 Augsburg. The Johnnies fell by a 3-1 score Friday night in Minneapolis before rebounding for a 5-0 shutout at home Saturday evening. Senior Josh Gross (Maple Grove, Minn.) scored a power-play goal in each of the two games, while sophomore Alex Ach (Champlin, Minn.) recorded the first multi-goal game of his career in Saturday's victory. Junior Phil Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) also recorded the Johnnies' first shorthanded goal of the season, his 40th career point, in the second period Saturday.

THIRD SHUTOUT: Sophomore goaltender Saxton Soley (Elk Mound, Wis.) made 25 saves, including 10 during a combined 16:33 on the penalty kill, to earn his third career shutout and hand then-No. 15 Augsburg its first loss of the season Dec. 7, 5-0. Soley and the Johnnies held the Auggies to a 0-for-9 showing on the power play.

GOOD TO BE HOME: Since the 2011-12 season, SJU has taken advantage of the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center's Olympic-sized sheet of ice by out-scoring its opponents 89-48 to tally a 17-5-2 (.750) record, including a 12-2-1 (.833) mark in the last 15 games. Five of the Johnnies' next six games will be held at the HBNHC.

NATIONAL RANKINGS: The Johnnies are set to clash with two nationally-ranked opponents this weekend. River Falls is currently ranked No. 15 in the USCHO.com poll and received votes in the D3hockey.com poll. St. Scholastica, on the other hand, is ranked ninth by USCHO.com and No. 13 by D3hockey.com.

A LOOK AT THE FALCONS: Wisconsin-River Falls (6-1-1, 2-0-0 WIAC) visits St. Cloud riding a four-game win streak after falling, in overtime, by a 3-2 score at Augsburg Nov. 16. A pair of juniors, Willie Hess and Blake Huppert, lead the Falcons with 11 (8g/3a) and nine (4g/5a) points, respectively. Hess also touts three power-play goals and two shorthanded. Scott Lewan (4-1-0) and Tanner Milliron (2-0-1) have combined to post a 2.08 GAA and a .924 save percentage in net.

LAST YEAR: SJU out-shot River Falls 42-18 but was 0-for-7 on the power play in a 3-1 loss Jan. 5 (2013) in River Falls, Wis. After UWRF gained a 1-0 lead 6:34 into the contest, Tobias Linbro '13 tied the game with 53 seconds left into the first period. The Falcons extended their lead to 3-1 with a pair of rebound goals in the second period. SJU out-shot the home team 32-14 after the first period, including a 14-3 margin in the third. Senior Mitch Thompson (Onalaska, Wis.) made 15 saves in the loss, his second start as a Johnnie and first in over two months due to a broken hand.

SERIES HISTORY: SJU is 0-6-1 against the Falcons since its last win on Dec. 14, 2002 (2-1), in River Falls, Wis. The last home win for the Johnnies, in the series, occurred Dec. 10, 2000 (3-1).

A LOOK AT THE SAINTS: St. Scholastica (8-1-2, 6-0-2 NCHA) split at home with nationally-ranked Adrian (Mich.), suffering its first loss of the season Dec. 7 (3-2). Brothers Brandon and Dylan Nowakowski lead the team in scoring with 15 (7g/8a) 11 points (5g/6a), respectively. Sophomore goaltender Tyler Bruggeman is 5-0 with a 1.60 GAA and a .936 save percentage this season. The Saints' power play enters Friday's game with a 29.7-percent success rate (11-for-37), including 35.7 percent (10-for-28) in eight conference games.

THE LAST MEETING: The last time SJU and St. Scholastica met on the ice resulted in a 4-3 SJU loss on Nov. 6, 2010, in St. Cloud. CSS tallied four first-period goals, but SJU answered with three goals in a four-minute span in the second. The Johnnies out-shot the visitors 11-9 in the third frame but could not get the equalizer.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 7-3-1 against St. Scholastica in the last 11 meetings, including a 5-1-1 record in St. Cloud.