ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Bethel University traveled to St. Cloud, Minn. tonight for a rare Thursday evening MIAC contest against Saint John's University. Prior to this evening's matchup the Royals were still in the hunt to make a shot at the postseason, however, a 4-1 loss to the Johnnies all but eliminates BU from the conference playoff picture.
SJU got on the board first when scoring 3:31 into the first period on a power play goal by John Haeg. Neither team advanced the puck past the goaltender the rest of the frame, but it was
EJ Gann (Fr., San Jose, Calif.) who delivered the equalizer for the Royals less than four minutes into the second. Gann's third goal of the season tied the competition at one, a place the two squads would remain at for the next 12 minutes.
The Johnnies then scored the go-ahead goal with 15:38 expired in the second on another power play goal – this time by Josh Gross. Saint John's added to its lead 12 minutes into the third and once more on an empty net with one minute remaining to send Bethel home winless and with little hope of play beyond next week.
Jon Crouse (Jr., Alexandria, Minn.), Tyler Sorenson (So., Madison, Wis.), Gann, and
Austin Hatch (Sr., Cloquet, Minn.) all finished the game with three shots fired. All-in-all BU tallied 24 shots on goal, which was three shots better than the Johnnies.
Dan Harper (So., Blaine, Minn.) was given the loss, as the goaltender saved 21 shots.
The Royals will seek revenge Friday night in game two of the weekend double-header against the second place Johnnies. The final home game is set to begin at 7 p.m. in the Bethel University Arena within the National Sports Complex located in Blaine, Minn.
