Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Saint John's hockey settled for a series split with a 5-2 loss at Hamline on Friday, Nov. 18, at Oscar Johnson Arena in St. Paul.

Hamline (5-1-2, 3-1-0 MIAC) gained a 2-0 lead with a pair of power-play goals in the first period, one 13 seconds into a three-minute major power play (not five, due to coincidental penalties) and another four minutes later. The Pipers were given four power-play opportunities in the opening frame.

HU extended its leads 30 seconds into the second period, 23 seconds after a power play ended, and made it 4-0 with 14:22 left in the frame.

Sophomore forward Matt Colford (Champlin, Minn.) got SJU (4-3-1, 2-2-0 MIAC) on the scoreboard with his third goal of the season, on assists from junior forward Sam Valerius (Maple Grove, Minn.) and freshman defenseman Cole Souto (Yorba Linda, Calif.), with 10:52 left in the second period.

Senior forward Ross Stecklein (Roseville, Minn.) took advantage of a Piper turnover and fed sophomore forward Evan Okeley (Carmel, Ind.) for a one-timer goal, his third of the season, to cut SJU's deficit to 4-2 with 4:50 left in the second.

HU ended the scoring with an empty-net goal at the 17:54 mark of the third period.

Senior goaltender Tyler Nelson (Champlin, Minn.) made 18 saves in the loss, the first of his season (3-1-1 record) and career (5-1-1). Freshman Andrew Lindgren (Minneapolis, Minn.) entered the game after the Pipers' fourth goal and made 12 saves the rest of the way.

SJU was whistled for nine penalties in the game, to Hamline's five. Three of the five penalties on the home team were matching infractions. HU entered the game as the most penalized team in the MIAC (8.3 penalties/game, 18.6 penalty minutes/game) and ended the night 2-for-8 on the man advantage.

The Johnnies return home to host a pair of non-conference games over Thanksgiving weekend, beginning with a 4 p.m. contest against Marian (Wis.) on Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center (HBNHC) in St. Cloud. SJU then hosts Lawrence (Wis.) for a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Nov. 27, at the HBNHC.