Box Score

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BLAINE, Minn. – Saint John's broke a 2-2 tie with four third-period goals to earn a 6-2 win at Bethel on Friday, Feb. 15, in Blaine. The win keeps the MIAC title hopes alive for the Johnnies, who are now tied with St. Thomas atop the MIAC standings entering the final day of the regular season.

A win in the return-game and regular-season finale Saturday, Feb. 16, would ensure SJU at least a share of the MIAC regular-season title. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the National Hockey and Events Center in St. Cloud.

Mitch Hughes gave BU (7-17, 6-9 MIAC) a quick 1-0 lead with a rebound goal 49 seconds into the game.

Junior Jason Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) tied the game at 1-1 for SJU (13-7-4, 8-4-3 MIAC) with 11:18 left in the second period, his sixth of the season. Senior Jascha Pettit (Wadena, Minn.) and sophomore Phil Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) were credited with the assists.

Junior Justin Hochsprung (Alexandria, Minn.) gave SJU a short-lived 2-1 lead with a power-play goal, his seventh tally of the season and 10th of his career, with 9:14 left in the second. Sophomores John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.) and Nick Vatnsdal (Independence, Minn.) tallied the assists on the goal, which stood despite the net coming loose.

Hughes, however, tied it at 2-2 with his second goal of the game 12 seconds later.

The four-goal third period started early when senior Tobias Linbro (Nykvarn, Sweden) gave the lead back to SJU with his sixth goal of the season, on a pass from Hochsprung, 54 seconds into the final frame.

Sophomore John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.) extended the lead to 4-2 with his 11th goal of the year 35 seconds later on a pass from Vatnsdal and junior Josh Gross (Maple Grove, Minn.).

Freshman Shane Wolden (Maple Grove, Minn.) intercepted a BU pass and fed senior Jascha Pettit (Wadena, Minn.) to give the Johnnies a 5-2 lead with 9:18 remaining. The goal was Pettit's eighth of the season. Vatnsdal earned the second assist, his third of the game.

Hochsprung ended the scoring with an empty-netter, shorthanded, with 48 seconds left. The shorthanded tally is his third of the season and was assisted by sophomore Nick Senta (Savage, Minn.).

Freshman goaltender Saxton Soley (Elk Mound, Wis.) improved to 12-4-1 (8-3-1 MIAC) and 7-1 in his last eight games with the victory.

The win was just the second in nine games for SJU against the Royals at Schwan Super Rink (2-6-1 record) and eliminated BU from MIAC-playoff contention. The Johnnies are now 7-1-3 in their last 11 games since resuming conference play Jan. 11 and have out-scored their competition 26-7 in the last six contests (5-1-0 record).