Box Score

BLAINE, Minn. - When Dan Bonne (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) scored a breakaway goal with 5:06 remaining in the game, Royals fans at Bethel University Arena had good reason to believe Bethel would go on to win the game for a sweep of the season series against Gustavus.

However, the Gusties came back and scored three unanswered goals in the span of less than two minutes, including an empty netter, to win 5-3 tonight.

The two teams matched each other goal for goal during the first two periods, with Gustavus drawing first blood.  David Martinson's goal at 8:55 put the Gusties up 1-0 until Jeff Balvin (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) scored a backhanded goal with 1:51 remaining in the period.  Kent Bostrom (Jr., Vadnais Heights, Minn.) got his 19th assist of the season on the goal.

Martinson put the Gusties back up by one early in the second period with his second of three goals on the night.  Not to be outdone, Balvin scored at the 11:58 mark on a power play after a checking from behind/game misconduct penalty was called on Gustavus.  Bostrom and Christian Fogerty (Fr., Forest Lake, Minn.) assisted on Balvin's goal to make it a 2-2 game going into the third period.

Bonne's goal ignited the Bethel segment of the near capacity crowd, as it was his fourth goal of the series after a stellar performance last night.  However, the flames were quickly doused as Casey Dynan, brother of Royal Kyle Dynan, scored an unassisted goal just over a two and a half minutes later.  Less than a minute after Dynan's goal, James Leathers put the Gusties up to stay at 4-3. 

In an effort to tie the game, Bethel pulled All-MIAC goalie Aaron Damjanovich (So., Remer, Minn.) to skate with a man advantage.  Despite getting a couple good shots on goal, David Martinson made the Royals pay for their gamble by scoring on an empty net to earn a hat trick.

With the split, the Royals stay one point behind Gustavus in the standings at 4-3-1 in the conference and 9-5-1 overall.  The Gusties improve to 5-3 in the MIAC and 8-8-1 overall.  Bethel will hit the road for their next four games, starting with a non-conference game against Lawrence next Monday at 7 p.m. in Appleton, Wis.