Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Saint John's hockey returned to conference play with a 1-1 tie at Hamline on Friday, Jan. 17, at the TRIA Rink in St. Paul.

Hamline won the sudden-death shootout in the second round to earn the extra point in the MIAC standings.

The game was originally scheduled for an 8 p.m. start, but was moved up to 6 p.m. and then again to 4 p.m. due to the winter storm.

Freshman forward Jack Johnson (Bemidji, Minn.) broke the scoreless tie for SJU (4-6-5, 1-1-4 MIAC) with a power-play goal, his second collegiate tally, on a one-timer from sophomore forward Davis Kirkendall (Hamel, Minn.) 53 seconds into the third period. Junior forward Ryan Kero (Hermantown, Minn.) was credited with the second assist.

Jeron Hirschfeld, however, tied the game on breakaway goal - after leaving the penalty box - 3:55 later.

Junior goaltender Mac Berglove (Elk River, Minn.) made 20 saves in the tie (3-1-3 record) and now has a 1.82 GAA and a .950 save percentage (96 saves) over his last three games.

Berglove denied HU's Jackson Bond to start the shootout and senior forward Brady Heppner (Crookston, Minn.) was stopped on the other end of the ice. Bailey Martin scored what proved to be the deciding goal to start the second round and the Pipers' Sam Nelson made a save on senior forward Kyle Wagner's (St. Francis, Minn.) attempt to clinch the shootout win.

The two teams played to a 3-3 tie back on Dec. 10 in St. Cloud. The Johnnies, however, collected the league's extra point in the standings that night when junior defenseman Travis Brown (Otsego, Minn.) scored 15 seconds into the extra 3-on-3 period.

The Johnnies return to the Twin Cities for a 7 p.m. game next Friday, Jan. 24, at No. 9 Augsburg in Minneapolis. The two teams wrap up the weekend series the following night at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.