ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus College men's hockey team battled the Saint John's University Johnnies on the road Saturday night in game two of their weekend conference series. The Gusties fell 3-2 in overtime to the Johnnies, ending a 12-game winning streak.
The last time Gustavus lost this season was back on November 29 in Maine against No. 14 Bowdoin. The Gusties went 70 days without a loss, going 12-0-1 over that time with the lone tie ending in a shootout victory at Colby on November 30.
Saint John's jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute of the first period, but
Hunter Newhouse tied the game one minute later with his fourth goal of the season.
Charlie Sandven and
Jack Wineman assisted Newhouse with the goal.
The Johnnies retook the lead with a goal in the 14
th minute of the opening frame. The Gusties trailed 2-1 heading into the first intermission.
Gustavus tied the game in the second period as
Ludvig Mellgren scored an equalizer in the seventh minute of the frame, assisted by
Drew Holt and
Grant Ellings. The goal was Mellgren's sixth this winter. The score remained deadlocked through the rest of the period as the game went to the second intermission tied 2-2.
The third period went by without a goal. The Gusties fired 14 shots on goal in the period but all of them were saved.
In overtime, the Johnnies intercepted a cross-ice pass and broke free for a one-on-one to score the game-winner.
Gustavus now stands in second place in the MIAC standings with 24 points; one point ahead of third-place Saint John's. Saint Mary's currently holds first place with 27 points. St. Olaf trails the Gusties and Johnnies in fourth with 21 points.
Up next for the Gusties is a two-game weekend series against the College of St. Scholastica Saints, starting at home next Friday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Don Roberts Ice Rink.
