Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Saint John's hockey posted its 10th win of the season – 6-2 – at Hamline on Friday, Jan. 30, at the TRIA Rink.

The Johnnies (10-5-4, 5-2-3 MIAC) scored three goals in a span of six minutes to pull away from the Pipers and dominated the play of the game despite nearly half a period of penalty minutes. Eleven different players had a point in the win, including a three-point outing for senior defenseman Michael Spinner (Prior Lake, Minn.) and a two-goal game for freshman forward Carter Krenke (Bloomington, Minn.).

Krenke started the scoring in a relatively mild first period, tallying his eighth goal of the season 5:16 after the first puck drop. After he and classmate Jordan Larkee (St. Paul, Minn.) nearly converted on the rush, a failed Hamline clear ended at the point on the stick of Spinner. Krenke redirected Spinner's shot for the Johnnies first lead of the game.

Hamline (4-13-3, 4-6-2 MIAC) knotted it at one at the end of the first, as Tyler Jordan converted on the power play off an uncontested shot in the slot. 

SJU broke the 1-1 stalemate with three goals in the first nine minutes of the second period, including two on back-to-back shifts. Krenke gave the lead back to SJU for good with his third goal of the season 2:53 into the second period. After a Hamline rush, sophomore defenseman George Moore III (Edina, Minn.) cruised down the ice on the breakout, catching the Pipers in a change to form a 3-on-1. He made a pass to Larkee across the crease, who one-touched it to Krenke for the quick shot and a perfect tic-tac-toe goal.

Junior forward Jacob McPartland (Victoria, Minn.) tacked another on 41 seconds after Larkee's tally, redirecting a shot-pass from sophomore forward Jordan Newpower (Lino Lakes, Minn.) for his fifth goal of the season. Moore III kept the puck in the offensive zone for the Johnnies and sent a pass across the ice for Newpower, who leaped in the air to keep it in play and set up his teammate.

Spinner got in on the scoring spree at the 8:36 mark of the second period, joining the rush late to form a 3-on-2. Junior forward Jack Wandmacher (St. Louis Park, Minn.) made the patience play to his defenseman who put the Johnnies up 4-1 with his second goal of the season.

Tristen May-Robinson cut the Pipers' deficit with another power-play goal, HU's fourth of the series, to cap a four-goal second period.

Junior forward Logan Lyke (Medina, Minn.) returned the favor on the power play 5:51 into the third, as the Johnnies once again connected with three quick passes to beat Piper goaltender Cade Chapman. After SJU rotated back into its power play formation, senior defenseman Conner Couet (St. Michael, Minn.) made a high-to-low pass for junior forward Chris Kernan (Maple Grove, Minn.), who tapped it across the crease for Lyke's team-leading 10th goal of the season.

Senior forward Rob Christy (St. Paul, Minn.) ended the game's scoring with an empty-net goal, his first of the season and fifth of his career, with 1:27 remaining.

Senior goaltender Jon Howe (Chanhassen, Minn.) made 19 saves in the win as SJU out-shot the home team 29-21. The Johnnies held the edge in the faceoff circle 42-24 and kept Hamline to single-digit wins in each period.

The Johnnies open a key series against Gustavus Adolphus at 7 p.m. next Friday, Feb. 6, in St. Peter. The two teams wrap the weekend with a 7 p.m. puck drop on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.