BOXSCORE MINNEAPOLIS -- Niklas Almstrom (SR, Medina, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's HS) scored the lone goal of the game for Augsburg College at the 16:18 mark of the second period, but three third-period goals enabled the University of St. Thomas to claim a 5-1 win over the host Auggies in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's hockey contest on Friday evening at Ed Saugestad Rink.

Almstrom cut the St. Thomas advantage to 2-1 with his fifth goal of the season, assisted by Dylan Meier (FY, Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista HS) and Mack Ohnsted (SO, Vernon Hills, Ill./Adali E. Stevenson HS). The assist was Almstrom's team-leading 13th of the season. Almstrom is now third among MIAC players in overall statistics in assists.

Augsburg (9-6-3 overall, 2-4-3 MIAC) outshot St. Thomas (13-3-2 overall, 7-0-2 MIAC) by a 22-21 margin in the game. But the Tommies, ranked No. 8 in the latest U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III national poll and No. 9 in the D3hockey.com national poll, pulled away in the third period, scoring three goals on its eight shots on-goal in the final frame.

Alex Altenbernd (JR, Moorhead, Minn.) and Tyler Gubb (SR, Markham, Ontario) had a goal and an assist each for St. Thomas, with Alex Niestrom (SR, Darien, Ill.), Johnny Roisum (FY, Bloomington, Minn.) and Thomas Williams (FY, Alexandria, Minn.) also scoring goals for the Tommies. Nick Nielsen (SO, Bloomington, Minn.) and Connor McBride (SO, Hartland, Wis.) had two assists each for St. Thomas.

Drew Fielding (JR, Burlington, Ont.) picked up the win in goal for St. Thomas, collecting 21 saves. John Bretzman (JR, Mendota Heights, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran HS) had 11 saves for Augsburg before being relieved by Brandon Jones (SO, Fridley, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS), who had five saves in the final 7:03 of play, his first collegiate action in goal.

Ohnsted, Meier and Almstrom had four shots on-goal each for Augsburg, with Ben McClellan (JR, Cottage Grove, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) recording three shots.

The teams complete the MIAC series on Saturday (2/1) at 7 p.m. at the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn.