Box Score
BLAINE, Minn. – Saint John's hockey earned a series split with Bethel thanks to a 6-4 win on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Super Rink in Blaine.
Three Johnnies – junior forward
Jackson Borst (Edina, Minn.), junior forward
Jack Wandmacher (St. Louis Park, Minn.) and freshman forward
Carter Krenke (Bloomington, Minn.) – each scored two goals to help the Johnnies earn their first outright win over the Royals since Dec. 1, 2022 to remain atop the conference standings with a 4-2-3 overall record (3-1-2 MIAC).
Bethel (4-5-0, 2-2-0 MIAC) scored first, taking a 1-0 lead halfway into the first period. Krenke evened the score just under four minutes later, but any Johnnie first period momentum was extinguished by Bethel two minutes later, as the home team took a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
Krenke netted his second of the game 7:17 into the second to even the score. Borst gave SJU its first lead of the game just over a minute later, but Bethel took advantage of a power play opportunity to set the game at three apiece late in the second.
Wandmacher's first of the night came at an opportune time, shifting the momentum in favor of SJU heading into the third period with a 4-3 lead.
He added his second of the day on the power play halfway through the third period, and while Bethel converted on another power play in the third, Borst put the game out reach with less than a minute to play to earn the split.
Senior goaltender
Jon Howe (Chanhassen, Minn.) made 36 saves – including 17 in the second period – for his fourth win of the season (4-1-3 record).
Junior forward
Chris Kernan (Maple Grove, Minn.) finished with a pair of helpers alongside the two-goal scorers. Krenke led the team with five shots on goal of 29, which paled in comparison to Bethel's 40 on the night.
The Johnnies return to the ice in the New Year by hosting No. 10 Trine (Ind.) for a pair of games Jan. 2-3 at the Municipal Athletic Complex (MAC) in St. Cloud. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday (Jan. 2) and 2 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 3).
