Box Score

ST. PETER, Minn. – Saint John's hockey fell in overtime at Gustavus Adolphus, 5-4, on Friday, Feb. 6.

SJU (10-6-4, 5-3-3 MIAC) earned a critical point in the standings after forcing the game to overtime with a scoreless third period. Gustavus sophomore forward Sam Rice scored the ninth and final goal of the game with 49 seconds left in overtime, beating senior goaltender Jon Howe (Chanhassen, Minn.) on a failed poke check.

The Gusties (14-5-1, 9-2-0 MIAC) scored early in what became a five-goal first frame, as Jack Wineman beat Howe on a quick rebound that escaped through his legs 3:53 after the opening faceoff. 

Senior captain Mason Campbell (Rosemount, Minn.) tied the game and began a flurry of four goals – two for each team – with 3:57 left in the period. Junior forward Chris Kernan (Maple Grove, Minn.) pulled the puck from a scrum on the half-wall and junior forward Jack Wandmacher (St. Louis Park, Minn.) delivered a perfect pass across the slot for Campbell to one-time into the back of the net.

Wineman gave the lead back to GAC 20 seconds later, converting on a 2-on-1 after the center-ice faceoff. Grant Ellings extended the Gusties' lead to 3-1 at the 17:39 mark, taking a long pass to drive the net after beating the SJU defense. 

Sophomore forward Jordan Newpower (Lino Lakes, Minn.) cut the deficit back to one with his seventh goal of the season to end the period down 3-2. Junior forward Jackson Borst (Edina, Minn.) created a 3-on-1 with a quick pass and a trip by a Gustie defender at the blue line. SJU's leading scorer, junior forward Logan Lyke (Medina, Minn.), rifled a shot from the right circle, and Newpower gloved the rebound out of the air, played it to his stick and tucked it into the net. 

Wandmacher knotted the game at three apiece with his seventh tally of the season 4:48 after the first intermission. Kernan intercepted a missed Gustavus breakout pass and dished a quick pass to Wandmacher, who sent the puck directly into the right corner of the net.

Junior forward Jackson Bisson (Edina, Minn.) gave SJU its first lead of the game with a power-play goal, his seventh tally of the season and 20th of his career, six seconds into the man advantage. After Kernan won the draw for the Johnnies, senior defenseman Conner Couet (St. Michael, Minn.) rifled a shot from the blue line. Kernan tipped the puck in front of the goal to his classmate Bisson, who buried it in the empty net. 

Jayar Luedke scored his own rebound with 3:32 left in the second to tie the game at 4-4, where it would hold for the next 24:11. 

The two teams exchanged power plays to start the third period, including two opportunities with the man advantage for the Johnnies, but all three attempts came up empty. 

Howe ended the game with 31 saves, while Marko Belak made 22 on the other end of the ice for the Gusties. Eight Johnnies had a point in the game, led by Kernan's career-high three assists. 

The Johnnies and Gusties complete the weekend series with a 7 p.m. puck drop on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.