Cole Frasier-
The Gustavus Men’s Hockey Team secured a thrilling victory on Saturday night, finishing regulation with a 3-3 tie before clinching the win in a shootout against the St. Scholastica Saints. This crucial victory brought the Gusties two points closer to the MIAC regular season championship, which will be decided on Friday, Feb. 21st, at 7:00 p.m. against Hamline. A win on Friday would crown them MIAC champions, but they could also claim the title if Bethel loses to St. Olaf.
The first period was a display of sheer dominance by Gustavus. The Gusties controlled faceoffs, winning 20 compared to the Saints’ three, and outshot their opponents 9-5. Their relentless offensive pressure led to two early goals: At 7:00, Senior Kyle Heffron opened the scoring, assisted by Junior Mason Hendrickson and Senior Nick Mohs-Messerli. Just two minutes later, First-year Jack Wineman doubled the lead, assisted by Senior Jack Suchy.
The second period started just as strong for Gustavus. Five minutes in, Wineman struck again, assisted by Fifth-year Landon Johnson and Sophomore Hunter Newhouse, extending the lead to 3-0. However, momentum began shifting in the Saints’ favor. Midway through the period, the Saints outshot and outperformed the Gusties in faceoffs, winning 22 faceoffs to Gustavus’ 16 and firing 25 shots compared to the Gusties’ 11.
The third period saw the Saints complete their comeback. They scored in the third minute and added two more goals before the end of regulation, tying the game at 3-3 and forcing overtime.
Despite two five-minute overtime periods, neither team found the net. Thanks to crucial saves by First-year goaltender Colin Androlewicz, the Gusties held firm and forced a shootout.
In the shootout, Androlewicz came up huge with two massive saves, and Wineman sealed the victory with the winning penalty. After the game, Androlewicz reflected on his approach to the high-pressure moment: “During the shootout, I was telling myself not to bite first. When playing shootouts, goalies always have to wait to make the first move. I try to keep my mind calm and clear when preparing for shootouts. There’s nothing you can really do. Lastly, the main thing on my mind was making sure we got the win, no matter the cost.”
With their shootout win over St. Scholastica, Gustavus turns its focus to Hamline. A victory on Friday would secure the MIAC regular season title and cap off an intense battle for the championship. Good luck, Gusties!