Neal Smith (Sean Donohue)
Senior forward Neal Smith (courtesy of Sean Donohue)
2
Univ. of St. Thomas UST 9-6-3, 6-2-1 MIAC
2
Saint John's Univ. SJU 8-9-3, 6-4-1 MIAC
Univ. of St. Thomas UST
9-6-3, 6-2-1 MIAC
2
Final
2
Saint John's Univ. SJU
8-9-3, 6-4-1 MIAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 OT 1 F
Univ. of St. Thomas UST 1 1 0 0 2
Saint John's Univ. SJU 1 0 1 0 2

Game Recap: Hockey |

Johnnies Battle Back to Tie St. Thomas, 2-2


Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's hockey and St. Thomas played to a 2-2 tie on Friday, Jan. 29, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.

The Tommies (9-6-3, 6-2-1 MIAC) earned the extra point in the MIAC standings with a 1-0 win in the shootout thanks to a goal from Willie Faust in the seventh round. The tie is the third between the two teams in the last five meetings, including a 4-4 stalemate in SJU's season opener as part of the MIAC Showcase back on Halloween.

Senior forward Neal Smith (Rogers, Minn.) tied the game at 2-2 with his team-leading ninth goal of the season 2:59 into the third period. Sophomore forward Sam Valerius (Maple Grove, Minn.) took a straight-on shot that was deflected by a UST defender to the stick of a hard-charging Smith in front of the net. Senior defenseman Joe Freemark (Lakeville, Minn.) was credited with the second assist.

Freshman forward Mitch Fritz (St. Cloud, Minn.) gave SJU (8-9-3, 6-4-1 MIAC) a 1-0 lead with his fourth goal of the season, and seventh point (4g/3a) in the last three games, 10:16 into the game. Valerius circled behind the net and fed Fritz, who was alone in front.

Michael Dockry tied it at 1-1 for UST with a wrap-around goal 2:05 later and Bobby Murphy made it 2-1 with a sharp-angle shot near the end line 4:30 into the second period.

SJU gained a five-minute power play 6:29 into the third but only mustered four shots on net.

Senior goaltender Saxton Soley (Elk Mound, Wis.) made 32 saves in the tie for SJU, which out-shot the Tommies 37-34 in the game, including a 26-18 margin after the first period. The Johnnies were without their leading scorer, sophomore forward Huba Sekesi (Germering, Germany), who entered the weekend tied for sixth in both assists (7) and power-play points (1g/3a), and tied for seventh in points (11), in league play. He suffered a concussion in the Johnnies' 7-1 win at Bethel Jan. 23 and will not play this weekend.

The Johnnies wrap up the series with St. Thomas at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Cadet Ice Rink in Mendota Heights. 



 
Print Friendly Version