Men’s Hockey Heads Mendota Heights To Take On Tommies In MIAC Quarterfinals

St. Peter, Minn. – After a 3-2 victory over St. Olaf College in the opening round of the MIAC Playoffs last night in at Don Roberts Ice Rink, the Gustavus Adolphus men’s hockey team has a quarterfinal round date with Co-MIAC Champion St. Thomas tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn.

Live video for tonight’s game will be available through the Minnesota Sports Broadcast Network.

The Matchup

St. Thomas swept Gustavus in the regular season, winning 6-0 in St. Peter and 2-1 in Mendota Heights.

– Gustavus is 5-12-1 all-time against St. Thomas in the MIAC Tournament.  The two clubs last met in the MIAC Playoffs on March 3, 2010 in the MIAC Championship.  St. Thomas won that game 2-1 in overtime on a goal by Chris Hickey.  Gustavus got the Tommies back a week later with a 3-1 win in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

– Gustavus is 9-1-2 since Christmas and are currently riding a seven-game winning-streak.

From Last Night

– Gustavus scored the first goal of the game for the 15th time this season last night against the Oles.  The Gusties are 13-2-1 when scoring the first goal.

– Gustavus is now 13-0-1 when scoring three or more goals this season.

– Jack Walsh (So., Mahtomedi, Minn.) and Tyler Lapic (So., New Prage, Minn.) enter tonight’s game on a seven-game point-streak.  Walsh has seven goals and two assists inside the streak, while Lapic has three goals and six assists.

– Senior goaltender Tyler Venne (New Hope, Minn.) picked up his seventh straight win in a 29-save performance last night.  He is allowing an average of 1.71 goals within the run.

– Zach May’s (Jr., Prior Lake, Minn.) goal against St. Olaf was his first game-winner of the season.  It was also May’s first goal since Nov. 3 against St. Norbert.

– With the win first round win over the Oles, Gustavus’s senior class improved to 7-1-0 in playoff games held at Don Roberts Ice Rink.

– Gustavus’s 25 shots in the first period last night was a season-high for any period this season.  The Gusties also allowed just three shots in the first period, which is the second-lowest shots allowed total this year.