SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus men’s hockey team came back from a three goal deficit and forced a shootout against Hamline on Friday night. After four rounds, the Pipers came away with the extra point in the 4-4 tie. The Gusties move to 5-13-3 overall 0-7-2 in the MIAC.
The Gusties entered the first period with confidence, putting offensive pressure on in the opening ten minutes. At the 8:33 mark the Pipers got on the board and shook the Gusties up with an insurance goal four minutes later to send them into the locker room with a two goal deficit.
Hamline rolled into the second blazing, tacking on its third goal six minutes into the middle frame. Gustavus got gritty and retaliated when Connor Clemons (Sr., Savage) and Dylan Gast (Sr., Dellwood) found Patrick Gazich (Sr., Minnetonka) in front of the net to score in the lower right corner bringing it to a two-goal game.
A minute and a half later, the Pipers scored on a quick shot from the face off to make it 4-1.
At 16:09 in the second period, Gustavus gained the extra skater advantage and Jack Westlund (Fy., Alexandria) passed the puck low to an open Brandon McNamara (Fy., Andover). across the crease before Nick Klishko (Sr., San Diego) buried the one-timer goal to cut the deficit in half.
Two minutes into the third period, McNamara continued to be a powerhouse for the Gusties, side-stepping four Hamline skaters before sniping it into the far side to make it a one goal game. Six minutes later with commotion in front of the net Micah Gernander (Fy., Coleraine) scored his first collegiate goal with assists credited to Ryan Petersen (Fy., Roseville) and Dan Sandvig (Sr., Savage)
Despite both sides having close chances in the 3-on-3 overtime, the game went into a shootout and after four rounds Hamline snuck past Jackson Hjelle (So., Delano) who made 21 saves on the night.
The Gusties will rematch Hamline on Saturday night in St. Paul with a 7:00 puck drop.