BLAINE, Minn. – An overtime goal from
Tyler Kostelecky lifted the Bethel University men's hockey team with an overtime win in its MIAC opener against the St. Olaf Oles, 2-1. Off to a 3-0 start for the third consecutive season, it's the fourth straight MIAC-opening win for the Royals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• At 3:06 in the overtime period,
Braeden Bartoo created an opportunity in front of the net off a zone faceoff, before
Tyler Kostelecky knocked in the rebound off his skate gaining the extra point for the Royals in the MIAC standings.
• The first period was tight, with the Royals only just finding the offensive edge, posting five shots on goal to the Oles' four. A penalty awarded to St. Olaf for too many men on the ice gave the Royals their lone power play opportunity of the night midway through but were kept off the scoreboard.
• Netminders highlighted the second period where Bethel held a 12-10 edge on shots on goal. But with three seconds left before the break, the Oles yielded the first goal of the game.
• The Oles charged down the ice with less than ten seconds left on a breakaway and slotted a pass across the net and finished a backdoor goal, leveraging themselves above the Royals, 1-0, heading into the third period.
• The Royals easily outshot the Oles, 16-to-1 on net, with
Luke French burrying the puck into the Ole net from deep, evening the score. It was
Ben Doherty's pass from the circle to the point that began it all. Doherty's pass was slightly redirected by
Sam Wilhite's stick allowing French to take the shot from the left point.
• Bethel had two final looks in the final 40 seconds but couldn't get it pass Ole netminder Lukas Haugen forcing the 3-on-3 overtime period.
UP NEXT
The Royals will the road for the first time in the regular season as they complete the second half of the St. Olaf series, making the trek down to Northfield, Minn., for a puck drop set for 5 p.m.
