Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 [Coaches Corner with Coach Burggraf]

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel University men's hockey team is set to restart the MIAC season when they face off with Saint Mary's Friday night in Winona, Minn., and Saturday night at home. The Royals are coming off of two non-conference losses after returning home from an eight day trip to Turkey over the Holiday break. Bethel is currently tied with St. Thomas for first place in the MIAC with a 5-1 record.
 
“The Saint Mary's series is big for both teams as we get back into league play,” Royals coach Charlie Burggraf said. “It should be a hard fought battle.”
 
The Cardinals are currently 3-1 in MIAC play, with their off weekend having already come in 2012. The Royals and Cardinals matched up in the season opening MIAC showcase in which Saint Mary's came out with a 7-2 victory. In that game Bethel junior forward Garrett Windle was seriously injured and was taken off the ice on a stretcher after being checked from behind. Windle has since returned and has been one of the Royals hottest scorers, tallying six goals in the last five games since his return. Freshman Mitch Hughes has also been on fire lately, scoring seven goals in the last five games and three over the past weekend in losses to UW-Stout and St. Thomas.
 
From December 22-30 the Royals traveled to Erzurum, Turkey and played a total of four games against the Super League team from Erzurum. Bethel was victorious 13-1 in the first game. The final three games saw the two teams split up, with two lines on each team, and they played a “McAdams Cup” series, named for the Erzurum coach. When the Royals weren't playing games they spent their time running clinics for the local youth hockey program. The national television station and newspaper were both in attendance to run stories on the team's games and clinics.
 
Upon returning to the United States the Royals did not have their best performances in a 5-1 loss to UW-Stout, and 6-4 against St. Thomas. Mitch Hughes scored the lone goal against UW-Stout and two against St. Thomas while Windle scored twice against St. Thomas. After finding themselves down 2-0 just seven minutes into the St. Thomas game, the Royals battled back and eventually tied the game up at 4-4 with nine seconds left in the second period. The Tommies tallied two goals in the third period however, for the 6-4 final. Jack Paul and Dan Rowland both had a pair of assists against the Tommies. Bethel and St. Thomas, the MIAC co-leaders, will match-up in MIAC play on February 1-2.