Piper men's hockey secures spot in MIAC playoffs

Augsburg started out fast, scoring twice in the first period, beginning with Tim Lawson (Sr., Monument, Colo.) at 4:08 from Dave Carroll (So., Richfield, Minn.) and Gerrit Hooker (Fy., Dayton, Minn.). The Auggies scored again at 15:00 when Chris Johnson (So., Verona, Wis.) scored on assists from Jim Jensen (Fy., Plymouth, Minn.) and Dan Leopold (Sr., Afton, Minn.).

Fulton got the Pipers on the board for the first time at 16:08 in the second, scoring on a power play from Andrew Birkholz (Jr., Maple Grove, Minn.) and Joe Long (Jr., Dayton, Minn.).

Fulton’s second goal tied the game at 2-2, and kicked off an offensively explosive third period, as he scored just 54 seconds in from Long. He then finished off his hat trick by giving the Pipers a 3-2 lead at 2:25, with assists credited to Chris Berenguer (Fy., Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Jared Hummel (Fy., Eagan, Minn.).
Brett Way (Jr., Grand Ledge, Mich.) tied the game for Augsburg, scoring at 2:57 from Bryan Frischmann (Fy., Rochester, Minn.) and Kellen Chamblee (Jr., Falcon Heights, Minn.).

However, for the second night in a row against the Auggies, Birkholz scored the game-winner for the Pipers, this time at 4:06 in the third from Nick Zilka (Fy., Mound, Minn.).

The Pipers then killed off a 5-on-3 for the final 1:21 of the game to take the win and the spot in the MIAC playoffs.

The Pipers improve to 12-6-4, 8-3-2 MIAC, while Augsburg falls to 5-15-2, 3-10-0 MIAC.  Hamline next hosts Saint John’s on Friday, February 22, at 7:15 p.m. at Drake Arena.

Hamline University belongs to the NCAA Division III Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, one of the most competitive conferences in the nation. Hamline supports 19 intercollegiate athletic teams for men and women. Find out more about Hamline athletics at www.hamline.edu/athletics.

Creative and innovative teaching and learning attract a diverse student body of nearly 4,600 undergraduate and graduate students to Hamline University. Challenged to create and apply knowledge in local and global contexts, Hamline students develop an individual and community ethic of social justice, civic responsibility, and inclusive leadership and service.

Ranked first in Minnesota among comprehensive master’s universities by U.S.News & World Report, Hamline is also Minnesota’s first university, founded in 1854, and among the first co-educational institutions in the nation.