The Johnnies travel to Gustavus for a MIAC Playoff Quarterfinal game this Saturday, Feb. 25. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Don Roberts Ice Rink in St. Peter. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM) | Live Stats | Watch Live
Preview Video:
-Head coach Doug Schueller (1:47)
A LOOK AT THE JOHHNIES: Saint John's (11-12-2, 9-7-0 MIAC) ended its regular season with a 7-4 loss at Bethel last Friday, Feb. 17. SJU dominated 5-on-5 play, out-shooting the Royals 32-15. The Royals, however, took advantage of three Johnnie penalties with a trio of power-play goals in the first 8:33 of the game, including a five-minute major. Freshman John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.) answered an early 1-0 Bethel lead, 27 seconds after the Royals' goal, with his sixth tally of the year. Sophomore Josh Gross (Maple Grove, Minn.) and freshman Dave Mylrea (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) assisted on the scoring play. The Royals answered with a pair of power-play goals, 1:57 apart, and added an even-strength tally to take a 4-1 lead with 6:21 left in the opening period. Junior Jascha Pettit (Wadena, Minn.) cut it to 4-2 with 5:26 left and made it a one-goal game with his team-leading 13th goal of the season 3:24 into the second period. Gross and freshman Nick Senta (Savage, Minn.) assisted on the first goal, while freshman Wally Cossette (Maple Grove, Minn.) and sophomore Trent Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) assisted on the other. Haeg tied it at 4-4 with just 6:36 gone by in the second, with assists going to Gross and Pettit. The Royals regained the lead for good at the 14:44 mark of the second. BU added another halfway thru the third period (10:26) and tallied an empty-netter for good measure with 19 seconds left. Junior J.D. Wells (Anoka, Minn.) made 14 saves to fall to 7-2-0 on the year.
A LOOK AT THE GUSTIES: Gustavus (14-6-5, 8-5-3 MIAC) scored three unanswered goals in the third period to tie St. Olaf 3-3 last Saturday and clinch the No. 2 seed. Despite only registering seven shots in the second period, the Oles found a way to convert on three of them, placing the visitors on top 3-0. Adam Smyth snapped Gustavus' scoring drought with a goal halfway through the third. Following a cross checking penalty assessed to St. Olaf's Justin Thomas three minutes after the Smyth goal, it was Gustavus' turn to capitalize on the power play. Ryan Johnson got the puck to Ring-Jarvi who was all alone with a clear look at the goal and the senior scored with six minutes left. With a pass from Gustav Bengston, Nate Paulsen sent a slap shot past the St. Olaf's Ben Leis, tying the game at 3-3 with just 2:42 left in regulation. Gustavus went on to out-shoot the Oles 12-8 in the third period and 4-1 in overtime for a 44-26 advantage in the game. Ring-Jarvi leads the team with 28 points (10g/18a), while Smyth touts a team-high 13 goals on the year. Freshman goaltender John McLean is 12-4-2 with a .919 save percentage and a 2.19 GAA.
EARLIER THIS SEASON: The Johnnies posted 3-0 leads in both conference games against Gustavus but settled for a split earlier this season. Then-No. 15 Gustavus Adolphus tallied four unanswered goals in a 4-3 win in the first game of the weekend series on Jan. 13 in St. Cloud. Pettit beat GAC goaltender John McLean glove side with a pretty wrister 6:38 into the game. Trent Johnson extended the lead to 2-0 with a misdirected goal off a GAC defenseman 7:21 later. The Johnnies took advantage of a 1:32, 5-on-3 power play with a goal from junior Joe Harren (Warroad, Minn.) 11:02 into the second period. Zach May put GAC on the scoreboard with 2:55 left in the second. SJU successfully killed off a 5-minute Gustavus power play, which started at the 18:31 mark of the second period. The third period belonged to the Gusties, however, as the visitors posted a 13-4 advantage in shots against the fatigued Johnnies. Andy Pearson cut the Gusties' deficit to one 4:41 into the final frame. Ryan Johnson tied it with 3:28 left and Bengston scored the game-winner on an intercepted pass 31 seconds later. Senior Tony Civello (Shoreview, Minn.) made 20 saves in the loss. McLean made 14 saves to extend his and the Gusties' winning streak to eight. He entered the game with the MIAC's top GAA (1.90) and the second-best save percentage (.935). Although the Johnnies snapped a 0-for-13 streak on the power play (1-for-4), they mustered a season-low 17 shots on goal (13-11 advantage through two periods).
Haeg tallied two goals and Gross posted a career-high three assists as the Johnnies knocked off the Gusties 4-3 the following night in St. Peter. A night after sprinting to a 3-0 lead only to fall 4-3, SJU followed suit once again with a 3-0 lead Saturday. Freshman Josh Gaughan (Buffalo, Minn.) gave the Johnnies an early 1-0 lead 1:52 into the game. Haeg lit the lamp with his second goal of the season 1:18 into the second period. Pettit increased the Johnnies' lead to 3-0 with a power-play goal at the 11:02 mark of the second. Cory Belisle put the Gusties on the scoreboard thanks to an extra attacker due to a delayed penalty. GAC turned the penalty into another goal, with a 5-on-3 power play, 28 seconds later. Haeg recorded his second goal of the game, unassisted, to put the visitors ahead 4-2 9:07 into the third period. With the goaltender pulled, Smyth notched his eighth goal of the season to cut it to 4-3 with 1:01 remaining. Wells made 22 saves to earn his first win in two starts this season.
PREVIOUS POSTSEASON MEETING IN ST. PETER: The only other time SJU visited Gustavus in the MIAC Playoffs occurred Feb. 28, 2008. The Johnnies won the game 5-3 despite being outshot 35-21 in the game. The visitors won the special teams battle, however, by converting one of their two power-play opportunities and denying the Gusties' five chances with the man advantage.
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies have either defeated or tied Gustavus in 34 of the last 41 meetings (29-7-5 record), including a 10-3-3 record in St. Peter since the 1998-99 season.
