Box Score

Box Score | Listen to Archived Game

Post-Game Interviews:
-Haeg, Hochsprung, Soley & Coach Schueller (2:13)

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's earned its first MIAC Playoff Championship since 2003 and first trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament since 2005 with a 3-2 win over Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday, March 2, at the National Hockey and Events Center in St. Cloud.

The full 11-team field (eight automatic berths, three at-large berths) will be announced live at 9 p.m. Sunday, March 3, on NCAA.com.

Junior forward Jason Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) gave SJU (16-7-4, 9-4-3 MIAC) a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 10:42 into the first period. Sophomore John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.) and junior Justin Hochsprung (Alexandria, Minn.) assisted on the tally, which was Johnson's eighth of the season.

Schyler Adams tied the game at 1-1 for Gustavus (17-8-3, 9-5-2 MIAC) 2:12 into the second period.

Sophomore defenseman Nick Senta (Savage, Minn.) gave the lead back to SJU four minutes later with a blistering shot from the point, the Johnnies' second power-play goal in as many chances.

The Johnnies preserved their lead into the second intermission, but again, it didn't take long for the Gusties to tie it back up after the break. Just over three minutes into the third period, Andy Pearson capitalized on a 2-on-1 breakaway to knot it back up at 2-2.

With just over three minutes to play, Hochsprung took a pass from Haeg, skated into the offensive zone against two GAC defenders and unleashed a shot on Gustavus goaltender Tyler Venne. The rebound, however, bounced right to Hochsprung's backhand and into the wide-open net. He has now had a hand in each of the Johnnies' last five game-winning goals (3g/2a). Haeg tallied his third assist of the game and now has a team-leading 30 points (11g/19a).

Freshman goaltender Saxton Soley (Elk Mound, Wis.) made 19 saves to improve to 15-4-1 on the season and 10-1-1 in his last 12 starts.