BLAINE, Minn. – Bethel University men's hockey came out with pace and purpose Friday night against Gustavus Adolphus, quickly grabbing a two-goal lead and setting the tone for a competitive MIAC matchup. Just past the 11-minute mark of the first period, sophomore
Joe Kelly opened the scoring unassisted to put the Royals ahead, and less than two minutes later junior
Jeremiah Konkel extended the advantage with a goal that was set up by senior
Spencer Kring. Bethel's early pressure challenged the Gusties and forced them to defend in their own zone.
Gustavus cut the deficit to 2–1 late in the opening frame, but Bethel responded early in the second period when senior Tyler Kostelecky scored to make it 3–1. The contest quickly turned into a back-and-forth battle as the Gusties struck twice in rapid succession to level the game at 3–3. Bethel answered again with a power-play goal from freshman Jameson O'Flynn, knotting the score at 4–4 midway through the second, and the two teams traded momentum in a physical, end-to-end period. Gustavus regained the lead later in the second and carried that edge into the third.
In the third period, Gustavus notched two additional goals — including an empty-netter in the final minute — to secure a 7–4 win. Though the final score favored the Gusties, Bethel's effort throughout the game reflected a relentless forecheck, disciplined puck pursuit and a willingness to respond after being scored on multiple times. Contributions from across the lineup kept Bethel competitive in every frame, and the Royals demonstrated the kind of resilience that will serve them well down the stretch of MIAC play.
Bethel now turns its focus to the second game of the weekend series, scheduled for Saturday at Gustavus Adolphus at 7pm in St. Peter, Minn. — a chance to build on tonight's competitive effort and earn a key conference victory on the road.
