SAINT PETER, Minn. - The Gustavus men's hockey team is set to host St. Olaf in the MIAC playoff championship 6 p.m. Saturday at Don Roberts Ice Rink. The Gusties (15-9-2) earned a trip to the title game after a convincing 6-2 win over Concordia in the semifinals last week, while the Oles (14-9-3) handed Bethel a 3-1 loss in the semifinals. The winner of Saturday's title game will earn the MIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships.
 
FREE ADMISSION FOR GUSTAVUS STUDENTS
 
All Gustavus students will be admitted free to the MIAC championship game. Students are encouraged to wear black attire. Residents halls will open at noon Friday with no need to sign up or request access when returning from spring break.
 
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. Saturday's game is the first MIAC championship game for Gustavus since 2018 when the Gusties lost at Augsburg 3-1. The Gusties are 5-7 in championship games and own a 24-26-1 record in MIAC postseason games. Gustavus most recently won the conference playoff in 2012.
 
THE SERIES
 
Saturday's game marks the 112th meeting on the ice between Gustavus and St. Olaf with the Gusties leading the all-time series 69-31-11. The two teams have split the regular season series the past two seasons with an even 4-4 record dating back to 2022. The Gusties and Oles have met four times in the MIAC playoffs with an even 2-2 record. The last meeting was in the 2013 quarterfinals when the Gusties won 3-2 at home. The only championship game between the two programs was in 2012 when the Gusties won 4-2 at home.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
 
Gustavus and St. Olaf split the regular season series on Nov. 15-16. The Oles won the opener 3-1 in Northfield, while the Gusties won the second game 6-5 in Saint Peter. In Friday's game one, the Oles did all of their damage in the first period, scoring a power play goal at 6:26, followed by even-strength goals at 15:46 and 18:55 for a 3-0 lead at the first intermission. Jonathan Young, Tyler Cooper, and Tyler Green scored the Ole goals.

With shots even 8-8 after 20 minutes, the Gusties laid on the pressure in the second frame, out-shooting the Oles 15-4, but the score remained 3-0 after two periods. 

Gustavus scored its lone goal at 7:24 of the third. After a puck battle on the boards, Wilmer Svensson came away with possession and found Kylar Fenton wide open in the left circle, who appeared to take a one-timer shot but instead found Hunter Newhouse open on the back post for the goal. 

The Gusties again out-shot the Oles in the third period, 16-5, but couldn't find the back of the net. Gustavus out-shot the Oles 39-17, but went 0-for-5 on the power play. 

Colin Androlewicz left the game after 10:35 of the first period, allowing one goal with two saves. Marko Belak played the rest of the game, allowing two goals with 12 saves. Matthew Malin made 38 saves for the Oles.
 
In the second game on Saturday, it didn't take long for the Gusties to score as Nate Stone tallied his first of the season at the 2:41 mark of the first. Just over a minute later, Jack Wineman found Jack Suchy for a 2-0 lead. The Oles tallied their first goal at the 13:26 mark, by Panayioto Efraimidis, and the score remained 2-1 at the end of the first. 

Nearly four minutes into the second frame, Hunter Newhouse and Wineman assisted on Suchy's second goal of the game for a 3-1 advantage, but the Oles answered just over a minute later on a goal by Joey Kennelly making the score 3-2. Again, in the fast-paced nature of the game, the Gusties regained a two-goal lead 47 seconds later as Grant Ellings connected with Drew Holt for his first goal of the season.

Midway through the second, the Gusties went up 5-2 as Wineman tallied his first goal of the season, assisted by Suchy. One minute later, the Oles took advantage of a power play and Jonathan Panisa scored, but again, the Gusties immediately answered as Suchy completed the hat trick just 15 seconds later, with Wineman earning his third assist of the night. Gustavus led 6-3 at the second intermission. 

St. Olaf made things interesting in the third period, scoring at the 6:23 mark by Ben Luscko and then making it a one-goal difference in the final minute with an extra-attacker goal by Green, but the Gusties held on for the win. 

Gustavus out-shot St. Olaf 25-23 as Marko Belak made 18 saves for his first win. There were just two penalties called all game with the Oles going 1-for-1 on the advantage and the Gusties 0-for-1. Malin made 11 saves in 39 minutes, while Tyler Laureault made eight saves in 20 minutes for the Oles.
 
SCOUTING THE GUSTIES
 
Gustavus enters the championship game 15-9-2 overall. The Gusties average 3.8 goals and 30.1 shots per game, while allowing 2.7 goals and 24.3 shots per game. Their +1.1 scoring margin is best in the MIAC and 20th in Division III. The Gusties are converting at 23 percent on the power play (20-87) and killing off opponents' power plays at 85.1 percent (74-87), ranking second and third, respectively, in the league. Jack Suchy leads the team with 29 points (2nd/MIAC) on 15 goals and 14 assists, including a team-best +17 rating (3rd/MIAC). Hunter Newhouse is next with 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points, while Drew Holt has eight goals and a team-high 116 assists for 24 points. Jack Wineman (8g, 14a) and Wilmer Svensson (8g, 12a) are also above the 20-point threshold, marking the first time since the 2008-09 season the Gusties have at least five players above 20 points. Colin Androlewicz and Marko Belak have split time in the crease. Androlewicz is 7-3-1 with a 2.58 goals against average (4th/MIAC) and .896 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 OLES
 
St. Olaf is the defending MIAC playoff champion after a 4-1 win over Bethel in last year's title game. The Oles also won the playoff championship in 2022 and own an 8-1 record in conference postseason games over the past four seasons. St. Olaf is 7-2 over its last nine games, most recently beating Bethel 3-1 in the semifinals last Saturday in Blaine. The Oles average 3.0 goals and 26.8 shots per game, while allowing 2.7 goals and 26.4 shots per game. They are converting at 22.8 percent on the power play while opponents are converting at 19 percent. Jonathan Panisa leads the offense with 26 points in 16 goals and 10 assists. Connor Kalthoff has 20 points on five goals and a team-leading 15 assists. Tyler Green has five goals and 14 assists for 19 points. Matthew Malin has spent the most time in the crease with a 2.50 goals against average, .906 save percentage, and a 6-5-2 record. Thomas Lalonde is next with a 2.44 goals against average, .905 save percentage, and a 6-3-1 record.