The Gustavus men’s hockey team fell to Augsburg 4-3 Saturday night in Minneapolis. Jon Keseley (Jr., St. Louis Park, Minn.) registered three assists for the Gusties, who fall to 14-8-1 overall, 9-5-0 in the MIAC. The Gusties’ 8-6 win over the Auggies Friday night, coupled with Bethel’s 3-2 loss to Hamline on Friday, secured a berth in the MIAC Playoffs for the Gusties.
Steven Jensen (Jr., Kentwood, Mich.) scored for the second straight night to give the Gusties an early 1-0 lead with 12:41 gone in the first period. Keseley and Cody Drysdale (So., Mankato, Minn.) assisted on the play. Mike Hosfield (Jr., Golden Valley, Minn.) scored with 19 seconds to play in the period to give Gustavus a 2-0 lead heading to the first intermission. Keseley and Sami Idris (So., Gothenburg, Sweden) found their way into the assist column on the play.
Any momentum Hosfield’s goal might have given the Gusties was negated when Augsburg’s Critter Nagurski put a shot past Gustie goalie Erik Kraska (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) just 31 seconds into the second period. The Auggies would tie the game six minutes later as Aaron Johnson, the MIAC’s leading scorer, knocked a second shot past Kraska on a power play. Nagurski would add a second goal in the period to give Augsburg a 3-2 lead with 8:23 to play in the second period.
Idris drew the game even at 3-3 on a goal with 5:17 to play in the period. Hosfield and Keseley, seemingly always nearby on a scoring chance, were credited with assists.
The Auggies converted the game-winner with just over 14 minutes to play in regulation as Brett Way scored an even-strength goal and held on for the 4-3 win.
Kraska picked up 28 saves en route to the loss dropping his record this season to 12-6-1. David Nash picked up 24 saves in net for Augsburg to move to 1-3-0 on the season.
Gustavus will face second-place Saint John’s in a key MIAC series next weekend. Depending upon the result of the series, the Gusties could be seeded anywhere from second to fifth in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.