SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus College men's hockey team battled the University of Dubuque Spartans at home Friday night in their first game of the new year. The Gusties defeated the Spartans 8-5 to improve to 7-5-1 on the season.
Gustavus jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the opening period.
Grant Ellings scored the first goal of the game six minutes in.
Drew Holt followed with another Gustie goal, doubling the lead with 7:30 remaining in the first frame. Less than two minutes later,
Nate Stone scored to put Gustavus up 3-0. The Spartans capitalized on a power play to cut the Gusties' lead back down to two, but Ellings responded a minute later with his second goal of the night to put Gustavus up 4-1.
Sam Rice added one more goal for the Gusties with just 19 seconds remaining in the first period to give Gustavus a 5-1 lead going into the first intermission.
Just 45 seconds into the second period, Stone scored his second goal of the game to put the Gusties up by five, leading 6-1. Dubuque followed with their second goal of the game, but Joss Garrett scored to regain the five-goal lead for Gustavus, leading 7-2. The Spartans went on to score twice more in the period but the Gusties still held a three-goal lead up 7-4 at the second intermission.
Kyle Doll scored the lone goal of the third period for the Gusties to give them an 8-4 lead. Dubuque responded with one more goal but the defenses held the rest of the way as the Gusties secured the 8-5 victory.
Colin Androlewicz had 25 saves in goal for Gustavus in the win. Ellings and Stone led the Gusties with two goals each.
Christian Miller,
Wilmer Svensson, and
Charlie Sandven all had two assists apiece.
Up next for the Gusties is game two of the weekend series with the Spartans on Saturday, January 3 at 3:00 p.m. at the Don Roberts Ice Rink.
