The Johnnies play host to Bethel for a 7 p.m. game on Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, and conclude the weekend series at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM, Both Games) | Live Stats (Thursday) | Live Video (Thursday) | Live Stats/Live Video
Preview Video:
-Head coach Doug Schueller (1:48)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (13-8, 7-5 MIAC) bounced back with a pair of 3-2 wins for a five-point sweep against Hamline Feb. 7-8. The Johnnies picked up only two points in the conference standings, instead of three, in Saturday's overtime victory since the game was not decided in regulation. A pair of third-period goals from freshman forward Kevin Becker (Roseville, Minn.), 54 seconds apart, gave SJU the win Friday night in St. Paul and a goal from another freshman, Nate Mondry (Grand Rapids, Minn.), the first of his collegiate career, 1:49 into overtime gave the home team a sweep Saturday afternoon.
FRESHMAN GAME-WINNERS: The last time SJU swept a weekend series against an opponent, in which a freshman scored the game-winning goal in each of the two victories, occurred Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2002. Defenseman Darryl Smoleroff '06 tallied both game-winners in the 4-2 and 8-3 sweep of Lawrence (Wis.). A four-time All-MIAC first-team selection and a three-time All-American, Smoleroff ended his career as the program's all-time leader in plus/minus rating (+84) and second in game-winning goals (13). He missed SJU's 100-point club by one with 99 (35g/64a) in 107 career games.
BALANCED ATTACK: Fourteen different Johnnies recorded a point in the sweep of Hamline last weekend. Twenty-two of SJU's 25 skaters have a point or more.
SCHUELLER NEARS NO. 2: SJU head hockey coach Doug Schueller (65-72-13 record) needs one victory to tie Denny Hartman (1981-88, 66-118-2 record) for second in the program's history in wins with 66.
A LOOK AT THE ROYALS: Bethel (3-16-2, 2-9-1 MIAC) begins this week's series riding a five-game losing streak, but the losses are a bit misleading. The Royals suffered a pair of one-goal losses to St. Olaf (Jan. 24-25), lost to now-No. 4 Wisconsin-Stevens Point (5-3 on Feb. 1) and were recently swept by No. 7 St. Thomas last weekend (2-1 OT and 5-2). BU is led offensively by four sophomore forwards: Travis Payne (9g/9a), Brock Raffaele (8g/10a), Mitch Hughes (6g/5a) and Tony Larson (2g/7a). Sophomore Steven Bolton is 3-12-2 with a .915 save percentage and a 2.93 GAA. The Royals have allowed 18 power-play goals this season (78.3 percent, 65-for-83) and are eighth out of nine MIAC teams with 22 goals in 12 conference games. BU has eight transfers on the team, including three that started their collegiate careers at a different MIAC institution.
LAST YEAR: SJU earned a weekend sweep of Bethel, 6-2 and 4-1, last season. Saint John's broke a 2-2 tie with four third-period goals to earn a 6-2 win at Bethel last Feb. 15 in Blaine and ended the regular-season, by clinching a share of the MIAC title, with a 4-1 home win the next day.
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 38-22-8 against Bethel since the 1984-85 season, but 12-13-5 in the last 30 meetings: 8-4-4 in St. Cloud, 4-8-1 on the Royals' home ice and 0-1-0 at a neutral site.
