Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. - In a back and forth battle to claim the win, the Bethel University Royals came out on top with a 4-3 victory over the Saint John's Johnnies tonight at the National Hockey Center.

Not wasting anytime, the Royals were the first to find the back of the net.  Scoring his first goal of the season for Bethel at 5:28 in the first period was Kyle Dynan (Jr., Orono, Minn.) with the help of Chris Fiala (Fr., Vadnais Heights, Minn.) and Kent Bostrom (Sr., Vadnais Heights, Minn.). The assist gives Bostrom his ninth point in the Royals seven games so far this season and furthers his point scoring streak to seven games. The Royals did not slow down, striking again less than two minutes later at the 7:09 minute mark as Spencer Menk (Fr., St. Paul, Minn.) recorded his first goal of the season, assisted by Austin Hatch (Fr., Cloquet, Minn.) and Jake Kogler (Fr., Forest Lake Minn.).

The game was far from over as the Johnnies scored two straight goals to tie the game at 2-2. The first Johnnie goal was scored 11:27 minutes into the first period by Dylan Decker with the help of his teammates Lance Wheeler and Clayton Rehm.  Jake Hipp scored the second goal for the Johnnies with just over three minutes elapsed in the second period, assisted by Brent Brodersen.

The second period was filled with excitement and action as both teams continued to tickle the twine. Answering back to once again gain the lead in the game, Eric Adams (Sr., Litchfield, Minn.) put one past the Johnnie goaltender at 4:13 in the second period. Adams was assisted by Mason Swenson (Fr., Eagen, Minn.) and John Kovacs (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.).  With just under ten minutes left in the second period Swenson and Kovacs once again set up their teammate as Fiala scored what proved to be the game winning goal of the night.

Brian Baker of Saint John's gave his team a little hope with his goal, assisted by Brodersen and Hipp, at just under 15 minutes into the second period, but it was not enough to top the Royals. 

Royal goalie, Aaron Damjanovich (Jr., Remer, Minn.) played tough in net, making 34 saves in the game to earn the victory.

The win marks the first conference victory for the Royals and brings their record to 4-2-1 overall and 1-2 in MIAC play, while the Johnnies fall to 1-6 overall and 0-3 in the MIAC.  Bethel is scheduled to play Saint John's once again tomorrow night, November 21, at 7:30 at home at the Bethel University Arena in Blaine, Minn.