SAINT PETER, Minn. - The Gustavus men's hockey team is set to host Concordia in the MIAC semifinals 5 p.m. Saturday at Don Roberts Ice Rink. The Gusties (14-9-2) enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed after capturing their first MIAC regular season championship since 2009-10 with a 10-4-2 league record, while the Cobbers (12-11-3), as the No. 5 seed, upset fourth-seeded Saint John's 4-3 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
 
FREE ADMISSION FOR GUSTAVUS STUDENTS
 
The Gustavus Athletic Department, in partnership with SAAC, will cover the cost of all Gustie students for all playoff competitions on campus on Saturday (March 1). All students that arrive in the first 30 minutes of the game will be admitted for free. Campus dorms will also remain open until Saturday outside of spring break regulations, and SAAC will provide in-game fan incentives to students.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
 
All tickets for the 2025 MIAC Playoffs will be sold and purchased online via HomeTown Ticketing. There will not be cash sales at any venue; however, spectators can purchase tickets using a mobile device, including while at the venue. Tickets are available for purchase immediately. General admission adult tickets are $12 (plus HTT service charge). Student (with ID) tickets are $3 (plus HTT service charge), and children ages five and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased here.
 
GUSTIES IN THE MIAC PLAYOFFS
 
Gustavus is making its 27th MIAC playoff appearance - the most by any current MIAC institution - and first appearance since 2022 when it defeated Hamline 4-3 in the first round before losing to Augsburg 4-3 in overtime in the quarterfinals. Saturday's game is also the first home playoff game since 2018 when the Gusties defeated Concordia 2-1 in the quarterfinals, and it also marks the first semifinal game since 2018 when the Gusties upset St. Thomas 4-3 in overtime. Saturday is the first home semifinal game since 2014 when the Gusties defeated Saint John's 3-2. Gustavus owns a 23-26-1 record in MIAC postseason games with five championships, most recently winning the tournament in 2012.
 
THE SERIES
 
Saturday's game marks the 141st meeting on the ice between Gustavus and Concordia with the Gusties leading the all-time series 80-54-6. The Gusties have won the last four meetings, but the Cobbers won seven of nine games from 2018-23. The Gusties and Cobbers are meeting in the MIAC playoffs for just the fourth time. The Gusties have won all three previous playoff matchups (2-1 in 2018, 3-1 in 2003, and 8-6 in 1990).
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
 
Gustavus swept the regular season series Nov. 22-23 in Moorhead, winning 4-0 on Friday and 4-3 on Saturday. In game one, it didn't take long for the Gusties to light the lamp as Luke Delzer deflected in a shot from the point by Christian Miller just 4:32 into the contest. The Gusties took a two-goal lead at the 11:43 mark as Hunter Newhouse scored with the help of Grant Ellings and Jack Wineman. The score remained 2-0 at the first intermission with shots even at 7-7.
 
Gustavus added its third goal with under two minutes left in the second frame on a power play. Nate Stone fired a shot from the right circle and the rebound went to Jackson McCarthy on the back post who buried his first goal in a Gustie sweater. The Gusties carried a 3-0 lead into the third period, increasing their shot advantage to 18-13.
 
Just a minute into the third period, Newhouse carried the puck into the zone around three defenders and found Kylar Fenton open on the right side, who finished the scoring play for his first goal of the season.
 
Marko Belak secured his first career shutout after making 16 saves. The Gusties out-shot the Cobbers 21-16 and went 1-for-4 on the power play, while killing all three Cobber advantages.
 
In game two, the Gusties got the scoring started 5:55 into the first period. Jack Suchy fed a pass off the right boards to Jack Wineman in the right circle, who set up Hunter Newhouse with a one-timer shot for the goal. With less than four minutes to go in the first, Jack Anderson won a puck battle up against the boards in the Gusties zone, made a long cross-ice pass to Christian Miller in the neutral zone, who walked into the zone and found Joey Gimberlin open on the right side for the goal. The Gusties led 2-0 at the first intermission.
 
Nearly seven minutes into the second period, the Gustie defense fended off a couple scoring opportunities by the Cobbers and took the puck the other way for a breakaway goal. Suchy raced up the left boards and fed Anderson directly in front of the net for the score. The Cobbers ended the shutout at the 10:09 mark of the second and the score remained 3-1 Gusties after 40 minutes with shots even at 21-21.
 
Concordia quickly made it a one-goal game just 23 seconds into the third period with a goal and then netted the equalizer with an extra attacker with 1:12 left in regulation. The game appeared destined for overtime, but Newhouse had other ideas. After winning a center ice faceoff, Newhouse flipped the puck off the end boards, Wineman collected the puck and played it back to Newhouse who scored on a sharp-angle shot from the left side.
 
The Cobbers out-shot the Gusties 34-29 as Marko Belak made 31 saves. Neither team scored a power play goal as the Gusties went 0-for-2 and the Cobbers 0-for-3.
 
SCOUTING THE GUSTIES
 
Gustavus enters the postseason 14-9-2 overall and is an even 2-2-2 in the last three weekends. The Gusties average 3.7 goals and 30.1 shots per game, while allowing 2.7 goals and 23.9 shots per game. Their +1.0 scoring margin is best in the MIAC. The Gusties are converting at 22.4 percent on the power play (19-85) and killing off opponents' power plays at 85.7 percent (72-84), both marks that rank third in the league. Jack Suchy leads the team with 27 points (3rd/MIAC) on 13 goals and 14 assists, including a team-best +16 rating (3rd/MIAC). Hunter Newhouse (12g, 12a) and Drew Holt (8g, 16a) are next with 24 points each. Jack Wineman is also above the 20-point threshold with 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists. This is the first time since the 2008-09 season the Gusties have at least four players above 20 points. Colin Androlewicz and Marko Belak have split time in the crease. Androlewicz is 6-3-1 with a 2.63 goals against average (5th/MIAC) and .890 save percentage, while Belak is 7-6-1 with a 2.76 goals against average and .888 save percentage. Belak leads the league with three shutouts.
 
SCOUTING THE COBBERS
 
Concordia enters the postseason 12-11-3 and is 4-2-1 in the month of February. The Cobbers average 2.8 goals and 32.2 shots per game, and allow 2.8 goals and 27.8 shots per game. They are converting at 15.3 percent on the power play (15-98) while opponents are 18.8 percent (18-96) on the man advantage. Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe leads the offense with 22 points on nine goals and 13 assists. Hunter Olson is next with 15 points on five goals and 10 assists. Dane Couture is the leading goalie, owning a 12-8-3 record with a 2.60 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.