No. 15 Oles, Tommies skate to 2-2 tie

Mike Ludwig
February 13, 2009

NORTHFIELD, Minn. - Bryan Giordano's goal with 6:04 left in regulation helped 15th-ranked St. Olaf erase a one-goal deficit and earn a 2-2 MIAC men's hockey tie with the University of St. Thomas on Friday at Northfield Ice Arena.

With the tie, the Oles' (14-6-2, 10-1-2 MIAC) remain four points ahead of the second-place Tommies (11-8-3, 8-3-2) atop the league standings with three games left.

St. Olaf can now win a share of the MIAC title with a tie tomorrow or win it outright with a victory. Third place Gustavus, which had a chance to catch each, lost a 3-1 game to Concordia on Friday.

Nick Stalock scored the Oles' other goal, at 7:24 of the second period, which tied the game at 1-1.

After a scoreless first UST notched the game's first tally, as Parker Burgess scored on a feed from Scott Ames.

The Tommies took their second lead at 6:36 of the third when Sean Bryant finished off a two-on-one past St. Olaf netminder Nick Krauss.

Krauss made 18 saves for the Oles while Cary Wood had 28 for the Tommies.

The Toms controlled much of the first period, outshooting the Oles' 12-4. St. Olaf then held a 26-8 advantage in the game's final 45 minutes.

The teams meet tomorrow in the series finale at St. Thomas Arena at 7 p.m. in Mendota Heights, Minn.

Contact media relations specialist Mike Ludwig at (507) 786-3834 or ludwigm@stolaf.edu.