Bethel University junior center Jack Brown passes the puck up ice during the Royals 6-2 win over Concordia College Saturday night at the National Sports Center in Blaine. Brown is currently second on the team in points with 19, with 8 goals and 11 assists in 23 games this season. | Photo by Nathan Klok
BLAINE, Minn. — Two points. That’s all that separated the Bethel University Royals and Concordia College Cobbers in the MIAC men’s hockey standings coming into the weekend’s series between the two squads. For just the second time this season, the Royals put together a two-win weekend. A shootout victory Friday night followed by a commanding 6-2 win Saturday night closed out the season series.
“It’s great timing for our guys,” Bethel head coach Chris McKelvie said. “We’re right in the mix to host a playoff game if we can get it done next week.”
Friday night: Brown’s shootout winner helps Royals claim two points
The Royals got off to a quick start in the series opener when forward Tyler Kostelecky found the back of the net 2:03 into the opening period.
Later in the first, Jack Brown picked off an errant Cobbers’ pass near center ice, beating the lone Concordia defender for a breakaway opportunity. He finished with a backhand shot through the five-hole of Cobber goaltender Dane Couture for a 2-0 Bethel lead.
The Cobbers answered back with just 32 seconds to play in the second period as center Issac Henkemeyer-Howe put Concordia on the board.
At the 15:58 mark of the third Henkemeyer-Howe scored again to tie the game at two. With a scoreless final four minutes and five-minute overtime, a shootout was needed to decide which team got the extra point.
Royals goaltender Macro Duronio stood tall, stopping all three Cobber shot attempts. Kostelecky and Braccini couldn’t convert on their shot attempts and center Jack Brown headed to center ice with a chance to win it for the Royals.
Brown skated wide and fired a wrist shot past Couture for the shootout winner to take two points in the series opener.
Saturday night: Tensions boil over after Royals build a five-goal lead
Kostelecky put the Royals in front first once again – this time at the 11:13 mark of the first after a hooking penalty put Bethel on the power play. Senior defenseman Dane Stoyanoff fed Kostelecky a one-time opportunity in the faceoff circle, and the junior forward converted for his sixth goal of the season and fourth in his last four games.
Concordia answered seconds later with a goal from forward Adam Brown to tie it at two. With thirty seconds to play in the period, Royals’ sophomore center Jeremiah Konkel clanged a shot in off the right post for a 2-1 Bethel lead heading into the first intermission.
The Royals’ offense exploded in the second period, scoring four goals, including two from Tyler Braccini, bringing his season total to 16 to go along with his MIAC-leading 27 points.
Tensions began to boil over as a total of 34 minutes worth of penalties were handed out between the two teams, 16 of which came in the third period alone.
“I think our guys have to have some pushback,” McKelvie said. “[Concordia is] the most penalized team in the league… and we have to stand up for each other.”
With plenty of opportunities, the Bethel penalty kill unit was up to the task, going 6-for-6 on the kill Saturday night.
After a five-point weekend, the Royals remain in second place in the MIAC with 26 points – five behind first-place Gustavus Adolphus College and three ahead of Saint John’s University and St. Olaf College.
The Royals face off with St. Olaf in the final regular season series of the year – a rematch of last year’s MIAC championship game – with a home playoff game on the line next weekend.
“It’s going to be awesome,” McKelvie said. “And depending on what Gustavus does, we still have an opportunity to catch first. We’ll see.”