The Johnnie hockey team makes a brief return to non-conference play with two home games this week at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, beginning with a 7 p.m. contest against No. 15 Wisconsin-River Falls on Thursday, Nov. 14. The Johnnies then host Wisconsin-Stout for Senior Night at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16.

LIVE COVERAGE 
-Thursday, Nov. 14: Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM/95.7 FM) | Live Stats | Live Video
-Saturday, Nov. 16: Listen Live (WMIN-1010-AM/101.1 FM) | Live Stats | Live Video

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (2-1, 2-0 MIAC) bounced back from a season-opening loss to Wisconsin-River Falls on Nov. 2 with a sweep of St. Scholastica, 4-2 and 4-1, to open conference play.

at Saint John's 4, St. Scholastica 2 (Nov. 7)
SJU pulled away with two third-period goals for a 4-2 win over St. Scholastica in its home and conference opener last Thursday night in St. Cloud. 

Sophomore forward Cam Boche (Lakeville, Minn.) broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the night with 5:02 remaining in the game for SJU and sophomore forward Logan Lyke (Medina, Minn.) added a diving, empty-net goal with 56 seconds to play to seal the victory.

Michael Makarenko gave the Saints a quick 1-0 lead 4:41 into the game. Alessio Raso came up the right side and unleashed a shot off the right leg pad of junior goaltender Jon Howe (Chanhassen, Minn.) and the rebound deflected to Makarenko on the left side of the net.

Senior Justin Thompson (Woodbury, Minn.) tallied the equalizer on the power play, his fourth goal as a Johnnie, just 2:05 into the second period. The home team finished 1-for-2 on the man advantage and killed off both CSS opportunities in the contest.

Hunter Hanson gave the lead back to CSS 4:15 later on a direct faceoff win from Gavin Gunderson, but Boche (bocky) tied the game at 2-2 with his third collegiate goal at the 8:51 mark.

Howe recorded his first collegiate assist on Thompson's power-play tally and made 28 saves in the win.

Saint John's 4, at St. Scholastica 1 (Nov. 9)
The Johnnies completed the MIAC-opening sweep of St. Scholastica with a 4-1 win in Duluth. Eleven Johnnies recorded a point as SJU built a 4-0 lead.

Thompson put the visitors on the scoreboard with his second goal of the season, which also served as his fifth tally as a Johnnie and fourth point of the series (2g/2a), on a rebound off Boche's initial shot on goal 8:05 into the contest.

Sophomore defenseman Parker Gnos (Excelsior, Minn.) followed suit with his third collegiate goal, on another rebound, with 3:42 left in the opening frame.

Following a scoreless second period, senior captain Matt DeRosa (Alpharetta, Ga.) extended the lead to 3-0 with the 16th goal of his career (and 30th point) 8:43 into the third and classmate Cody Carlson (Buffalo, Minn.) scored on a breakaway with 7:38 to play. Evan Pahos erased the shutout for the Saints a minute after Carlson's goal.

Senior goaltender Bailey Huber (Mahtomedi, Minn.) made 28 saves in the victory, the 15th of his career. Both teams went 0-for-3 on the power play and SJU posted a 32-29 edge in shots.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Thompson was named the MIAC Men's Hockey Offensive Player of the Week on Monday (Nov. 11) for his four-point (2g/2a) performance in the sweep of St. Scholastica. He has 10 points (5g/5a) with a +5 in 12 career games as a Johnnie.

SENIOR NIGHT: The Johnnies will honor their nine seniors prior to Saturday night's game against Stout. The eight skaters have combined for 160 points (54g/106a) and a +45 in 423 games played. 

A LOOK AT THE FALCONS: Thursday night's game is the first on the road this season for Wisconsin-River Falls (3-0, 0-0 WIAC), which defeated Hamline (6-3 on Nov. 7) and Gustavus Adolphus (4-1 on Nov. 9) last week. Sophomore Jonny Meiers (3g/1a) and freshman Reid Lune (2g/2a) lead the team with four points apiece. Junior Brennan Boynton has played all 180 minutes in net so far this season and touts a 1.67 GAA and a .931 save percentage (67 saves). UWRF is 0-for-9 on the power play and 9-for-11 on the penalty kill.

TWO WEEKS AGO: River Falls broke a 1-1 tie with four-straight goals in the third period to hand SJU a 5-1, season-opening loss back on Nov. 2 at Hunt Arena. Three of the four goals were scored during a 4:43 span and the fourth was an empty-netter with 57 seconds remaining.

Reid Lune gave the Falcons an early 1-0 lead 4:28 into the game and the contest remained a close 1-0 score until Carlson tied it with a power-play goal, his fifth career tally, with 13:03 left in the third period.

Cole Teleki scored what proved to be the game-winning goal for UWRF with 8:44 remaining and Meiers made it 3-1 just 1:34 later. Adisen Brueck extended the lead with 4:01 left and Gibb Coady ended the scoring with the empty-netter, 11 seconds after an SJU power play expired. The Johnnies finished 1-for-5 on the man advantage. 

Huber made 34 saves in the loss as UWRF recorded a 39-26 advantage in shots.

SERIES HISTORY: SJU is 7-16-2 against UWRF since the 1995-96 season, including a 1-5-2 record at the HBNHC.

A LOOK AT THE BLUE DEVILS: Wisconsin-Stout (3-0, 0-0 WIAC), like River Falls, has yet to make a bus trip but will on Friday night to Bethel before Saturday's contest against the Johnnies. The Blue Devils edged Saint Mary's 3-2 last Friday (Nov. 8) and blanked Hamline 5-0 on Saturday. Junior Kullan Daikawa (2g/3a) and sophomore Nicolas Pigeon (3g/2a) lead the way with five points apiece. Pigeon has both of Stout's power-play goals (2-for-13), while the penalty kill takes the ice this weekend at a perfect 15-for-15. Senior Tyler Masternak boasts a 0.67 GAA and a .969 save percentage (63 saves).

LAST YEAR: Saint John's scored the game's final three goals in the third period to gain a 5-2 non-conference win on Jan. 12 (2024) at Wisconsin-Stout. The two teams combined for 21 penalties – 12 for SJU and nine for Stout – including 14 in the second period alone.

The Blue Devils entered the game fifth in NCAA Division III on the power play (32.2 percent/19-for-59) and ninth in scoring offense (4.13 gpg.), but SJU held the home team scoreless on six power-play chances on the night.

Daikawa tied the game at 2-2 for Stout with a 4-on-4 goal 2:18 into the third period. Sophomore forward Jackson Borst (Edina, Minn.) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, however, on a delayed penalty 2:02 later. 

Senior forward Spencer Rudrud (Eden Prairie, Minn.) padded the lead thanks to a 2-on-1 feed from Carlson with 9:02 left in regulation and Boche sealed the victory on an empty-net goal with 2:16 remaining.

Co-captain Max Borst '24 gave the Johnnies a 1-0 lead with his third goal of the season at the 12:56 mark of the first period. Stout's Brandon Connett tied the game 4:19 into the second period and senior defenseman Danny Eckerline (Orono, Minn.) gave SJU its second lead of the contest with his first goal of the season - second of his career - with 1:50 left in the frame. Howe made 31 saves in the victory.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 18-6-1 all-time against Stout but just 7-5 on their home ice.