St. Thomas men’s hockey battled to a 3-3 tie against the No. 18 Augustana Vikings Friday night, securing a crucial point in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) standings and regaining sole possession of first place. The Tommies, now 18-9-4 overall and 15-5-3 in conference play, face Augustana again Saturday with the CCHA regular season championship implications looming large.
Despite a late surge from the Vikings that forced the game into overtime and ultimately a shootout, St. Thomas maintains its position at the top of the CCHA, holding a narrow advantage over Michigan Tech. The Tommies’ ability to secure a point on Friday night, even in a game that slipped away in the final minutes, demonstrates their resilience in a tightly contested conference race.
Augustana opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 9:18 of the first period. Though, the Tommies, known for their ability to respond after falling behind – boasting a nation-leading record of 10 wins when their opponent scores first – quickly turned the tide. Alex Gaffney leveled the score at 10:05, capitalizing on assists from Charlie Schoen and Nathan Pilling. Hayes Hundley then gave St. Thomas the lead at 13:59 with a powerful shot, assisted by Gaffney and Jake Braccini, although both teams played four-on-four.
The Tommies extended their advantage early in the third period when Lucas Wahlin redirected a shot from Ryan O’Neill into the net at 6:07, marking his CCHA-leading 19th goal of the season. Lucas Van Vliet likewise contributed an assist on the play. Notably, all six of St. Thomas’s top scorers registered at least one point in the game, highlighting the team’s balanced offensive attack.
However, Augustana refused to concede. The Vikings mounted a furious comeback in the final five minutes and five seconds of regulation, scoring twice to tie the game and send it to a scoreless overtime period. Augustana ultimately prevailed in the shootout, securing the extra CCHA point.
St. Thomas goaltender Carsen Musser delivered a strong performance, stopping 24 of 27 shots faced. The Tommies were 1-for-4 on the power play and successfully killed off 2 of 3 penalties. St. Thomas also outshot Augustana 42-27, demonstrating their offensive pressure throughout the contest.
The Tommies’ power play continues to be a strength, having scored a goal in nine consecutive games. This consistent offensive production on special teams has been a key factor in their success this season.
Up next, St. Thomas and Augustana will face off again Saturday night at 7:07 p.m. At Lee & Penny Anderson Arena.
Follow the St. Thomas Men’s Hockey team on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for the latest updates and behind-the-scenes content. You can also find them on TikTok.
With three games remaining in the regular season, the Tommies control their own destiny in the race for the CCHA championship. Saturday’s game against Augustana presents another opportunity to solidify their position and move closer to securing home-ice advantage in the playoffs.
Share your thoughts on the game and the Tommies’ championship aspirations in the comments below!
