NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Bethel's Men's Hockey team delivered a playoff-style performance Friday night, shutting out St. Olaf 2-0 at Northfield Ice Arena behind timely scoring and a dominant effort in net.
The Royals broke through late in the first period after a back-and-forth opening frame. Freshman Ethan Hull gave Bethel the lead at the 16:07 mark, finishing a setup from Connor Brazil and George Peterson. The even-strength goal marked Hull's third of the season and stood as the eventual game-winner as Bethel seized momentum heading into the intermission.
Bethel continued to generate offensive pressure throughout the second period, creating multiple chances while maintaining its defensive structure. Although the Royals were unable to add to their lead in the middle frame, they limited quality opportunities against and carried their one-goal advantage into the third period.
Clinging to the lead in the final minutes, Bethel received the insurance goal from senior Spencer Kring, who scored an empty-net goal with 29.9 seconds remaining to seal the victory. Kring's unassisted tally was his sixth of the season and secured the Royals' ninth conference win.
The story of the night, however, was senior goaltender Austin Ryman, who delivered a flawless performance in net. Ryman stopped all 37 shots he faced to record the shutout, turning away chances in all three periods and anchoring Bethel defensively from start to finish. This would mark his second shutout of the season and fifth in career. His effort preserved the Royals' lead and helped them close out one of their most important wins of the season.
Bethel finished with 32 shots on goal while holding St. Olaf scoreless despite multiple power-play opportunities against. The Royals' defensive discipline and goaltending proved to be the difference in the conference matchup.
With the win, Bethel improved to 13-10-1 overall and 9-6-0 in MIAC play, strengthening its position as the regular season winds down. The victory gives the Royals valuable momentum as they continue their push toward securing a strong position heading into the postseason.
Bethel will close out the regular season Saturday night when it hosts St. Olaf at Bethel University Arena. With playoff seeding implications still in play, the Royals will look to carry Friday's momentum into their final regular season contest.
