BLAINE, Minn. – Sophomore forward
Nick Ketola earned the Bethel University men's hockey a series opening 4-3 win over Saint Mary's, lighting up the lamp for the second time in the game with 2:23 left in the overtime period.
In a back and forth affair, the Royals (4-11-3, 3-3-3 MIAC) used two unanswered goals to earn three points in the MIAC standings moving them up a spot into fourth place with 13 points, a point just behind Gustavus Adolphus.
Randy Wolf,
Brandon Baker and
Curtis Hansen each added a pair of assists for the Royals while netminder
Joe Sheppard was lights out down the stretch finishing with 32 saves.
After a scoreless opening period, Saint Mary's (7-8-1, 4-3 MIAC) lit up the scoreboard first scoring on its first power play opportunity of the night.
Luke Posner would not allow the Cardinals to hold the lead for long tying it up at the 11:28 mark in the second while Ketola added the primary assist and Hansen the secondary.
Ketola scored his first of the evening 4:10 into the third (Braker and Hansen) only for the Cardinals to tie things back up 21 seconds later. The Cardinals had a power play opportunity midway through but Sheppard kept SMU in check stopping all five opportunities.
SMU took the lead back with 8:20 remaining in regulation, but
Josiah Roen had other intentions.
Jarrett Cammarata fought for a loose puck in the neutral zone giving it to Wolf. Wolf found Roen off to the left where he fired a wrist shot into the back of the net.
Ketola completed his three-point night when Wolf's pass from the right point went to Hansen along the boards where Hansen set up Ketola for the game-winning one timer.
