Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's hockey played St. Scholastica to a 4-4 draw and won the shootout, 1-0, for the extra point in the MIAC standings on Saturday night, Nov. 8, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.

SJU (1-0-2, 1-0-1 MIAC) held a 4-2 lead over the Saints (1-2-1, 0-1-1 MIAC) in the third period, but the visitors scored a pair of goals with the goaltender pulled in the final 1:21 to send the game to overtime.

Junior forward Jack Wandmacher (St. Louis Park, Minn.) converted on the third shootout attempt for the Johnnies and senior goaltender Jon Howe (Chanhassen, Minn.) saved all three shots – including a diving poke-check on the Saints' second participant – to clinch the extra point.

Freshman forward Carter Krenke (Bloomington, Minn.) scored the first of eight goals 4:04 into the first period. Krenke, with a little help from senior forward Rob Christy (St. Paul, Minn.), split the St. Scholastica defenders at the blue line for a breakaway rush which he capped with a quick deke and his second goal of the weekend.

St. Scholastica waited until the second frame to respond, beating Howe with a shot to the top right corner cloaked by heavy net traffic in front. 

Junior forward Logan Lyke (Medina, Minn.) tipped a Conner Couet (St. Michael, Minn.) shot two minutes later on the power play to put SJU up 2-1 heading into the final period. 

Freshman defenseman Cashen Naeve (Independence, Minn.) extended the lead to two, 3-1, with the first goal of his collegiate career 3:36 into the third. A drop pass from junior forward Chris Kernan (Maple Grove, Minn.) on the zone entry gave Naeve time to find the top left corner of the net. 

CSS scored on a nearly identical play two minutes later to restore the single-goal deficit. 

Sophomore forward Jordan Newpower (Lino Lakes, Minn.) added the fourth and final regulation tally for the Johnnies midway through the final frame. After Lyke created a scoring chance on a rush into the CSS zone, Newpower stripped the Scholastica defender of the puck out front and fired a quick shot past the unsuspecting goaltender for the unassisted tally.



The two-goal lead failed to hold, however, as the Saints capitalized on bouncing pucks in front of the net to score with an extra skater in the game's final minutes. 

SJU had a number of chances in the 3-on-3 overtime and Howe shut down a Saint on a solo breakaway to end the game in a tie for five points in the MIAC-opening weekend.

For the second night in a row, all of SJU's goals came from different players. Each was also assisted by a different Johnnie, with nine players contributing to the four goals. St. Scholastica held the advantage in faceoffs (.606) and blocked shots (15). 

The Johnnies cross the border into Wisconsin for a pair of non-conference games next weekend, beginning with a 7 p.m. puck-drop on Friday, Nov. 14, at Wisconsin-River Falls. SJU then visits Wisconsin-Stout for a 7 p.m. contest on Saturday, Nov. 15, in Menomonie, Wis.