Box Score  [Paul & Crouse] [Harper] [Szafranski]
BLAINE, Minn. – The Bethel University men's hockey team picked up a physical, 3-2 victory over Gustavus Adolphus College, the fifth ranked team in the nation, to open up Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action. The Royals jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held on as the Gusties scored twice in the third period. Dan Rowland, Jack Paul and Brock Raffaele each scored goals for the Royals while Dan Harper got the win in the net.

“Gustavus is a very good, highly ranked, solid team, but we belong,” Royals coach Charlie Burggraf said. “The boys played hard, and worked hard. They battled and I'm very proud. Every day at practice they're working hard and it shows. We will have to battle hard again tomorrow.”

The Royals got on the scoreboard in the first period when Dan Rowland scored his second goal of the season on a Bethel power play. Mitch Hughes won the draw on a face off and Raffaele knocked it out to Rowland in space on the left side and he carried the puck to the high slot, and beat the Gustie goaltender on his glove side.

Early in the second period, with a 1-0 lead, the Royals had already killed off a minute of a Gustie power play before another penalty was called on Bethel, giving Gustavus a minute of a five on three advantage that the Royals again successfully defended. Gustavus' best opportunity clanged loudly off the top cross bar in the middle of the five on three opportunity. The Royals then killed off the last penalty minute remaining to hold onto their 1-0 lead. Senior Jack Paul would put the Royals up 2-0 with his third goal of the season on another Royals power play. The Gusties spent a total of 31 minutes in the penalty box during the game. On the play, Paul intercepted the Gusties attempt to ice the puck from the corner, walked out and fired one past the goalie's stick side. Dan Rowland was credited with an assist on the play.

The Royals started the scoring off in the third period with their third goal, scored by freshman Brock Raffaele. Off another faceoff victory by Hughes, Raffaele grabbed the puck and pounded it home from straight on. Hughes and Rowland were given assists.

The game would get much more interesting and heated as things started to wind down in the third period as the Gusties scored a pair of goals mid-way through to draw within one. The second goal was scored on a four-on-three power play. Shortly after, Gustavus Ilya Kravtchouk was hit with a five-minute major, game misconduct, penalty for checking from behind, putting the Royals on the power play for five of the remaining 5:38 in the game. With 29 seconds left a scrum broke out after Harper had made a save and was on the ground leading to a pair of penalties on both teams. Harper made several big stops down the stretch and 23 for the game to pick up his, and the Royals, second win of the season. Bethel outshot the Gusties 36-25 and won the faceoff battle 43-31.

The win over Gustavus marks the third consecutive year the Royals have defeated the Gusties at the Bethel University Arena. The two teams have split the series each the last six seasons. The Royals will travel to St. Peter, Minn. tomorrow in search of a series sweep when the two teams face-off at 7:05 p.m. The win brought the Royals record to 2-3 overall and 1-0 to begin MIAC play while the Gusties fell to 3-2 and 0-1 in MIAC action.