Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's senior forward Spencer Rudrud (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored a hat trick and junior goaltender Jon Howe (Chanhassen, Minn.) made 33 saves as the Johnnies earned a 5-1 win over St. Olaf on Friday, Nov. 22, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center (HBNHC) in St. Cloud.

The multi-goal game was the first of Rudrud's collegiate career and the hat trick was the Johnnies' first in nearly two years - Auggie Moore '23 (three goals) in SJU's 6-0 home win over Concordia (Wis.) on Dec. 9, 2022, at the HBNHC.
 
Sophomore forward Chris Kernan (Maple Grove, Minn.) gave SJU (5-1, 3-0 MIAC) a 1-0 lead with a wicked wrister from the right faceoff circle for his first goal of the season, and second of his career, with 2:38 left in the first period.

Rudrud padded the Johnnies' lead with a 5-on-3 power-play goal 1:22 into the second period, 13 seconds after he hit the pipe. 

Jonathan Panisa cut the Oles' deficit in half with a coast-to-coast goal, unassisted at the 7:08 mark, 38 seconds after sophomore forward Cam Boche (Lakeville, Minn.) hit the pipe for SJU.

Rudrud extended the lead to 3-1 with his second goal of the night of his career with 6:39 remaining in the frame. A long pass from junior defenseman Mason Campbell (Rosemount, Minn.) up the right boards deflected off an STO player into the offensive zone where it found Rudrud, who skated in on net for a backhanded goal.



Junior forward Rob Christy (St. Paul, Minn.) tallied his second goal of the season at the 11:56 mark of the third period and Rudrud completed the hat trick with an empty-netter, his 14th career goal, with 1:50 remaining. Ten Johnnies recorded a point in the win.

Howe improved to 3-0 on the season and boasts a 1.00 GAA and .972 save percentage (105 saves).

STO (2-4-1, 1-2-0 MIAC) recorded a 34-33 edge in shots but went 0-for-4 on the power play to the Johnnies' 1-for-3 showing.

The two teams conclude the series with a 5 p.m. puck-drop on Saturday, Nov. 23, in Northfield.