The win give Hamline 22 points for the season, two points ahead of their next closest competitor.

Hamline will hold the #1 seed, and the right to host, throughout the MIAC tournament. The Pipers will host the semifinal game against the winner of the play-in game between the #4 and #5 seeds. Those seeds have yet to be determined.

The Pipers' home semifinal game will be on Saturday, February 26, at 2:00 p.m. Their opponent will be determined by the play-in game which will take place on Friday.

The game was a back-and-forth battle through the opening two periods, with the teams winding up knotted at 4-4 following forty minutes of play.

The Pipers had a strong third period, however, putting three goals up on the scoreboard for the 7-4 win.

Van Gilder had two of his goals, both even-strength, in the third period at 1:08 (the ultimate game-winner) and at 12:03. Brian Arrigoni (Jr., Saint Paul, Minn.) then scored his second goal of the game at 18:12. It was an empty netter.

Kyle Mattson (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) and Bret Burgau (Sr., New Ulm, Minn.) also added goals for the Pipers.

Hamline edged out the Cobbers in shots-on-goal, 36-30. Beau Christian (Jr., Moorhead, Minn.) got the win in net for the Pipers.

The Pipers finish the regular season with a record of 14-6-5, 9-3-4 MIAC and the Cobbers end at 11-10-4, 7-5-4 MIAC.