Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's hockey snapped a three-game losing streak and kept its postseason hopes alive with a thrilling 5-4 win over Saint Mary's on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Municipal Athletic Complex in St. Cloud.

Junior co-captain Huba Sekesi's (Germering, Germany) power-play goal, with 2:27 remaining, capped a three-goal third period for SJU (11-9-3, 6-6-2 MIAC) and proved to be the game-winner. He now has 10 points (5g/5a) in six career games against SMU.



Down 4-2 to start the third period, senior co-captain Dan McNamara (Grand Rapids, Mich.) cut the Johnnies' deficit to one with his fourth goal of the season 1:53 into the frame and junior forward Sam Valerius (Maple Grove, Minn.) tied it with his team-leading eighth goal of the season at the 11:37 mark.

SJU out-shot the Cardinals (13-9-3, 9-6-1 MIAC) 55-26 in the game, including 17-8 margins in both the second and third periods. The home team also registered a 41-23 advantage in faceoffs.

SMU jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals 1:19 apart in the first period. Kelvin Walz took advantage of an SJU turnover behind the net for a power-play goal 2:28 into the game and Martin Gruse banged in his own rebound with 3:47 elapsed.

Sophomore Robb Stautz (Roseville, Minn.) put SJU on the scoreboard with his fifth goal of the season on the Johnnies' second rebound of a three-shot flurry at the 10:44 mark.

The Cardinals re-gained a two-goal lead on a deflection in front from Jared Johnson at the 12:28 mark, but junior Tyler Dunagan (Maple Grove, Minn.) earned his second point of the night with his first goal of the season 2:34 later.

Taylor Portner gave SMU a two-goal lead 1:28 into the second period.

Freshman goaltender Andrew Lindgren (Minneapolis, Minn.) made 22 saves to improve to 4-3-2 on the season.

The Johnnies play host to No. 11 Augsburg for Senior Night at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. SJU enters the final weekend series of the regular season with 20 points in the conference standings, two behind Concordia-Moorhead, which visits Bethel for two games in Blaine.