DULUTH, Minn. – Freshman forward Braden Bartoo's overtime game-winner sent the No. 5 seeded Bethel University men's hockey team into the MIAC Semifinals for the first time since 2007. Bartoo's goal capped an incredible 76 minutes of postseason hockey as the Royals defeated No. 4 seed St. Scholastica. 4-3.
Bethel now heads to top-seeded Augsburg on Wednesday, March 5 with the winner advancing the MIAC Championships.
The Saints scored just over five minutes into Saturday's contest before
Adam Bricker tied it up 2:20 later kick starting his three-point night.
Bricker tallied his second of the night less than a minute later scoring from nearly the exact location as his first goal which was the left faceoff circle. He picked up assists from
Sam Wilhite and
Brandon Baker.
CSS tied it up it up 8:25 into the second period while on the power play. Bethel netminder was strong from that point on collecting 14 saves in the period while sending the teams into the locker room deadlocked at two.
Jarrett Cammarata put the Royals ahead with his sixth goal of the year with 3:31 remaining. Cammarata had a takeaway right outside the blue line before firing a shot from the left face-off circle sneaking it just inside the pipe.
The Saints tied it up 31 seconds later before both netminders made some incredible saves down the stretch forcing overtime.
Allen made eight saves in the extra period bringing his nightly total to 41 stops.
Bethel went the length of the ice as
Jory McWilliams made a pass to Bricker as he was being hit. Bricker saw Bartoo across ice after drawing out the CSS defender. A nice pass set up the scoring opportunity at the doorstep of the Saints goaltender.
