Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's hockey earned the series split with a crucial 4-2 home win over Saint Mary's on Saturday night, Feb. 3, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.

The Johnnies (9-10-4, 6-7-1 MIAC) built a 2-0 lead with a pair of first-period goals. Senior forward Lewis Crosby (Edina, Minn.) started the game's scoring when he buried a pretty one-timer from sophomore defenseman Michael Spinner (Prior Lake, Minn.) with 4:09 left in the first period. The tally was Crosby's third of the season and 27th of his SJU career.

Sophomore forward Justin Thompson (Woodbury, Minn.) then made it a two-goal game with his third goal of the semester at the 18:30 mark on another feed from Spinner.

Bud Winter cut the deficit in half for Saint Mary's (7-12-2, 5-6-1 MIAC) 5:04 into the second period, but sophomore defenseman Conner Couet (St. Michael, Minn.) made his first collegiate goal count in a big way, shorthanded, to give the Johnnies a 3-1 cushion with 2:08 left in the frame.

The Cardinals countered once again on a goal from Jackson Nauss 2:21 into the third period, but again the Johnnies answered. This time it was sophomore defenseman Mason Campbell (Rosemount, Minn.), on a delayed penalty, for his fourth goal of the season and 10th of his career with 12:54 left to play.

Sophomore goaltender Jon Howe (Chanhassen, Minn.) made 26 saves to improve to 6-3-2 this season. SJU posted a 36-28 advantage in shots, including a 10-4 margin in the third period. Both teams went 0-for-4 on the power play.

The Johnnies open their final regular-season series by hosting St. Olaf (8-10-2, 4-6-2 MIAC), which was idle this weekend, for a 7 p.m. puck-drop on Thursday, Feb. 8, at the HBNHC.