The SJU hockey team returns to MIAC action with a home-and-home series against Gustavus Adolphus this weekend, beginning with a 7 p.m. game on Friday, Jan. 30, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. The Johnnies then travel to face GAC for a 7 p.m. contest on Saturday, Jan. 31, in St. Peter. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM; Both Games) | Live Stats/Live Video (Friday) | Live Stats (Saturday) | Live Video (Saturday)

Preview Video:
-Head coach Doug Schueller (0:57)

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (8-5-4, 4-3-1 MIAC) returned to the win column with a 4-2 non-conference win over Wisconsin-Stout last Tuesday (Jan. 20) at the National Hockey Center. Sophomore forward Dan Voce (Princeton, Minn.) put SJU on the scoreboard with his first collegiate goal, in his second varsity game, 5:22 into the game, but Stout tied it at 1-1 with a power-play goal at the 11:59 mark of the second period. Senior forward John Carroll (Eagan, Minn.) put the home team back in front with 2:23 left in the second and sophomore Ross Stecklein (Roseville, Minn.) gave SJU a two-goal lead with his first collegiate goal 6:17 into the third period. Shayne McLaughlin cut the Blue Devils' deficit to one 1:52 later, but SJU's two-goal cushion returned thanks to a blast from senior defenseman Wally Cossette (Maple Grove, Minn.) on the power play with 8:19 remaining. Junior goaltender Jason Dzurik (Loretto, Minn.) made 22 saves to earn his second win in his fourth varsity start. SJU out-shot Stout 44-24 and recorded a 51-24 advantage on faceoffs.

BANGED UP: The Johnnies were without five starters against Stout due to injury: freshman forward Tyler Dunagan (Maple Grove, Minn.), senior defenseman and captain Dave Mylrea (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), senior defenseman Nick Senta (Savage, Minn.), junior forward Neal Smith (Rogers, Minn.) and junior goaltender Saxton Soley (Elk Mound, Wis.).

FOURTH-LINE SUCCESS: Stecklein, Voce and freshman Sam Valerius (Maple Grove, Minn.) comprised Johnnie hockey's fourth line in the 4-2 win over Stout. The three entered the game with one point in 12 varsity games but combined for five points (2g/3a) and were responsible for the team's first goal and the game-winning tally.

MIAC LOGJAM: Eight of the nine MIAC teams begin the weekend separated by five points, from first place to the three-way tie between SJU, Hamline and Saint Mary's in sixth. Each MIAC win, regulation or in overtime, merits three points in the conference standings.

A LOOK AT THE GUSTIES: Gustavus Adolphus (6-7-6, 3-3-4 MIAC) salvaged a weekend split with Saint Mary's thanks to a 2-1 overtime win Jan. 24. Freshman forward Conor Deal netted the overtime winner and leads the Gusties in both goals (9) and points (16). On the defensive end of the ice, freshman defenseman Tim Donohue has posted the best plus-minus on the team (+5) and has seven assists, which is tied for first on the team. Junior goaltender John McLean has started the last seven games and has a 3-3-1 record with 177 saves (.932 pct.) and a 1.82 GAA. The Gusties currently boast NCAA Division III's second-best penalty kill at 91.1 percent (51-for-56).

LAST YEAR'S MEETINGS: Gustavus won all three meetings with SJU last season, including a 3-2 decision in the MIAC Playoff semifinals. Saint John's jumped out to an early lead on a slap shot from sophomore defenseman Brady Riesgraf (Chaska, Minn.), but Gustavus countered with two rebound goals and held on for the 2-1 victory last Jan. 31 (2014) in St. Peter. The Gusties traveled to St. Cloud and pounced on the Johnnies 4-0 until senior forward Phil Johnson (Duluth, Minn.) erased the shutout with just 11:48 left in the game. The win completed the Gusties' first regular-season sweep of SJU since the 1994-95 season. 

Then-No. 13 Gustavus scored two third-period goals, including the game-winner with 34 seconds remaining, to earn the 3-2 playoff win back on March 1 in St. Peter. After coincidental penalties were called against both teams with 1:28 left, GAC's Andy Pearson scored what proved to be the game-winner, 4-on-4, with 34 seconds remaining. The Johnnies' top line provided both goals. Sophomore forward Dan McNamara (Grand Rapids, Mich.) gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead with his third goal of the season, on the Johnnies' first shot of the game, 6:50 into the contest. Blake Schammel tied it for Gustavus at the 13:28 mark of the period as the Gusties proceeded to post an 18-7 shot advantage in the first period. Senior forward John Haeg (Lakeville, Minn.) gave the lead back to the Johnnies 3:22 into the second period with his eighth goal of the season. Tyler Lapic tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal, on the game's first penalty, 2:29 into the third period. Soley made 38 saves, one shy of his then-career record, in the loss. SJU was out-shot by GAC 41-22 and did not have a power play in the game. The instance was only the Johnnies' second in their last 221 games.

SERIES HISTORY: SJU leads the all-time series with a 40-26-8 record in 74 meetings since the 1984-85 season. The Johnnies have either defeated or tied Gustavus in 37 of the last 48 meetings (30-11-7 record) and are 20-5-2 against GAC at home since 1992-93 (18-3-2 in last 23 games at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center). The two teams have met in the MIAC Playoffs each of the past three seasons.