Saint John's starts MIAC hockey play with a home-and-home series against St. Scholastica this weekend, beginning with a 7 p.m. game on Friday, Nov. 7, at Mars Lakeview Arena in Duluth. SJU then hosts CSS for Senior Night at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.

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A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (0-0-1 overall) opened its 2025-26 season with a 4-4 tie at Marian (Wis.) last Friday (Oct. 31) in Fond du Lac, Wis. Marian had a two-goal lead on two occasions, but SJU battled back to tie the game each time in the draw.

SJU forced consistent pressure through the first few minutes of ice time, including a 2-on-1 opportunity that narrowly missed. A pair of rebounds escaped the Johnnie sticks in front of the net and set up a rush for the Sabres the other direction that led to the first penalty of the season for SJU 7:36 into play.

Eemil Rautio took advantage of the extra skater, scoring seven seconds into the power play off the faceoff from a shot from the point that made its way through traffic and past senior goaltender Jon Howe (Chanhassen, Minn.).

Marian doubled the lead five minutes later, as a hit in the Johnnie zone created a turnover at the top of the faceoff circle. More traffic out front allowed Robert Pizzey to collect his own rebound in the crease for a 2-0 advantage. 

Junior forward Chris Kernan (Maple Grove, Minn.) cut the lead in half six minutes into the second period. A penalty set the Johnnie power play up with possession in the Sabre zone. SJU worked the puck from the point down the wall to the stick of classmate Jack Wandmacher (St. Louis Park, Minn.), who delivered a pass from the half wall for Kernan to redirect between the goalie's legs. 

Junior forward Jacob McPartland (Victoria, Minn.) scored less than a minute later, as a takeaway in the neutral zone set up a 3-on-1 for the Johnnies down the ice. Freshman forward Jordan Larkee (St. Paul, Minn.) delivered the pass to McPartland in front of the goal to tie the game at 2-2.

The momentum was extinguished just a few minutes later, as Marian scored back-to-back goals of its own – just 13 seconds apart – to regain the lead. A failed breakout set up Nolan Flint behind the net, who found Brendan Bottem uncontested in the slot. A penalty immediately after the goal gave the Sabres the player advantage once more, rushing the zone on a long pass and scoring off a loose puck that did not get cleared in front.

Junior forward Cam Boche (Lakeville, Minn.) converted a 4-on-4 opportunity before the end of the period after junior Kasen Sauer (Maple Grove, Minn.) intercepted a Sabre breakout to set up the play. Junior forward Jackson Bisson (Edina, Minn.) gathered the puck for another odd-man rush and fed Boche across the slot to cut the difference to one heading into the second intermission.

Sophomore forward Jordan Newpower (Lino Lakes, Minn.) tied the game at four apiece early in the third period with his first collegiate goal that eventually forced overtime. Junior forward Jackson Borst (Edina, Minn.) took the puck away from a Sabre defender behind the net and connected with Newpower in the slot, who rifled a shot into the top-left corner.

SJU directed all the chances for the first few minutes of 3-on-3 extra hockey and was backstopped by Howe, who robbed the Sabres on a 2-player breakaway with 1:54 remaining. A break for the Johnnies the other way gave the visitors a power play for the final 1:34, but they did not convert on five shot attempts.

Marian owned the advantage in shots 49-43 (37-31 on goal), but the Johnnies edged the home team 10-3 (6-3 on goal) in overtime. The Sabres converted on 2 of 4 power-play opportunities to the Johnnies' 1-for-5 showing.

SENIOR NIGHT: SJU will honor its seven seniors prior to Saturday night's puck-drop at the HBNHC in St. Cloud. The seniors – five skaters (one forward and four defensemen) and two goaltenders – combine for 80 points (25g/55a), a plus/minus rating of +13 and four game-winning goals in 292 career games. SJU is 33-36-9 (23-21-4 MIAC) during their tenure as Johnnies. 

A LOOK AT THE SAINTS: St. Scholastica (1-1 overall) started its 2025-26 season with a home split against the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) last weekend in Duluth. The Raiders scored three-straight goals and added an empty-netter in Friday's 4-2 win, but the Saints responded with the contest's first three goals, including two on the power play, in Saturday's 3-1 victory. Sophomore forward Braden Panzer leads the team with three points (2g/1a) and sophomore defenseman Evan Pahos has a pair of assists. Junior goaltender Eino Rissanen started both games and has a 2.55 GAA and a .915 save percentage (54 saves).

LAST SEASON'S MEETINGS: The Johnnies opened its 2024-25 MIAC schedule with a sweep of the Saints.

at Saint John's 4, St. Scholastica (Nov. 7, 2024)
SJU pulled away with two third-period goals for a 4-2 win over St. Scholastica in its home and conference opener last November at the HBNHC. 

Boche broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the night with 5:02 remaining in the game for SJU and junior 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 Howe and the rebound deflected to Makarenko on the left side of the net.

Justin Thompson '25 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 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, 2024)
Eleven Johnnies recorded a point as SJU built a 4-0 lead en route to the win and a MIAC-opening.

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.

Junior 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, captain Matt DeRosa '25 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 '25 scored on a breakaway with 7:38 to play.

Pahos erased the shutout for the Saints a minute after Carlson's goal.

Bailey Huber '25 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.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 20-16-2 against St. Scholastica on the ice since 1988, including 11-11-3 this century.