Box Score

BLAINE, Minn. - Entering Tuesday night's contest against the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, the Bethel Royals men's hockey team had won three of their last four games. However, the winning trend did not continue as the Falcons ousted the Royals 5-2 at the Schwan's Super Rink tonight.

River Falls entered the game as the 10th ranked team in the nation according to the most recent USCHO.com poll, therefore, Bethel had a tough task on hand. The Falcons struck first with a goal midway through the first period to put the Royals in an early hole. The game remained scoreless for the rest of the first, as both teams played solid defense. Goaltender Zac Bush (Fr., Tyler, Teas) made 17 saves for the Royals in the first period alone.

The score remained the same until the Falcons struck again in the second, this time on a power-play goal. Finding themselves behind 2-0, the Royals fought back as Jake Calleja (Fr., New Richmond, Wis.) notched his fifth goal on the season midway through the second. River Falls would answer with a goal of their own, extending their lead once again to two goals. However, Bethel was not out of the game just yet. The Royals found the back of the net again, this time off the stick of Josh Simi (Fr., Apple Valley, Minn.) with an assist from Malcolm Richards (Fr., Yorktown, Va.).

With the Royals only down 3-2 entering the third, it appeared that momentum might have been on their side. Unfortunately, whatever momentum they did have was quickly lost as the Falcons would add their fourth and fifth goals on the night in the third period. While Bethel outshot River Falls in the third, they couldn't get anything past Falcon goaltender Bo Storozuk.

The loss moves the Royals record to 3-6 on the year. Bethel resumes MIAC play this weekend as the travel to Moorhead, Minn., for a Friday-Saturday series against the Concordia College Cobbers.