Notables
-Branby earns first collegiate win tonight
-Richels has six point weekend (4G, 2A)
-Fuss registers first collegiate goal and assist
-Three seniors recognized before game
DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – After Friday's night shootout win versus Augsburg University, the St. Scholastica men's hockey team earned two conference points, clinching a top seed in the upcoming playoffs. That shootout win also broke school and program history as they are the first team to ever win a MIAC regular season conference championship as a program while being the first of 20 CSS athletic teams to win a regular season championship as CSS joined the conference last year.
Not only was this a special game as the team got to celebrate last night's victory in front of a full Saints crowd, but it was also senior night, where three members of the team are playing their final season of collegiate hockey. Jack Branby (St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park HS (Winnipeg Blues-MJHL)), Tyler Hinterser (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville HS (Brookings-NAHL)), and Alec Severson (Roseau, Minn./Roseau HS (Thief River Falls-SIJHL)) would be recognized before the game.
Up Next
The Saints finish the regular season 16-6-3, with a conference record of 13-1-2. The Saints will earn themselves a well-earned bye. CSS will host a semifinal contest at Mars Lakeview Arena next Saturday,
How It Happened
After a back-and-forth battle between these two teams yesterday evening, the Saints would carry their momentum into this matchup early as Arkhip Ledenkov (Polotsk, Belarus/Ostroshitsko-Gorodokskaya (New York Aviators-USPHL)) scored one minute and thirty-one seconds into the contest. Fred Paine (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS(Air Force Academy)) and Carsen Richels (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine HS(University of New Hampshire)) would have the assists.
Brodie Girod (Clavet, Saskatchewan/Clavet HS (Nipawin-SJHL)) would add the second goal for his team midway through the period. Jack Fuss (Edina, Minn./Edina HS (Minnesota Mullets-USPHL)) would get the assist on Girod's goal.
The Saints would once again increase their lead to 3-0 when Richels would score his fourth goal of the weekend with 3:10 on the clock. Arkhip would get the assist and so would the senior goaltender Branby.
The second period would surprisingly be scoreless between these top teams in the conference, credit to Branby for keeping the Auggies out of the net through the first two periods.
10 minutes through the final period and the Saints wouldn't be able to hold Augsburg scoreless tonight as they scored their first goal of the game. Fuss would make the Auggies comeback less likely as he put the puck behind the netminder thirty-six seconds later, marking his first collegiate goal.
After tying yesterday, the Saints were able to have a dominant first period to capture a 4-1 win over the Auggies.
Goaltending
Branby would pick up his first-ever collegiate win tonight which included recording 23 saves on 24 shots. That would earn him a save percentage of .958. Samuel Vyletelka would have 21 saves tonight for Augsburg.
Senior Spotlight
We have included each of the seniors' future plans after graduation.
Jack is expected to graduate as a Webster Scholar. His future plans include getting into medical school and eventually becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
Tyler's future plans include finding a good career path that fits him or furthering his hockey career.
Alec will be graduating with a double major in Business Management and Marketing. His future plans include working in the electrical distribution/sales industry.
