Men's Hockey 11/2/02 -- St. John's 6, Augsburg 4 

BOXSCORE

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (11/2/02) -- Ryan Langenbrunner (Fr., Cloquet, Minn.) scored a three-goal hat trick, leading host St. John's University to a 6-4 win over Augsburg College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's hockey game Saturday afternoon at the National Hockey Center.

In clinching the season-opening MIAC series sweep, the game proved to be much closer than Friday's 5-0 Johnnie victory at Augsburg. The Auggies scored first, but neither team led by more than a goal until the final minute of the game.

Jaro Cesky (Sr., Prague, Czech Republic) scored twice for the Auggies, while Tarik Yumusaklar (Fr., Lakeville, Minn.) had a goal and assist. Brady Fougner (Fr., International Falls, Minn.) had three assists, while Kyle Holzinger (So., North Oaks, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) and Chad Moore (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) had two assists each.

The teams traded goals for the first half of the game. Cesky scored for Augsburg at the 8:44 mark of the first period, and Sage Swanson (Fr., Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) scored at the 10:27 mark for the Johnnies. Yumusaklar scored at the 16:31 mark for the Auggies, and Langenbrunner scored his first goal 3:47 into the second period.

Dave Nelson (Fr., Woodbury, Minn./South St. Paul HS) scored at the 10:57 mark, then the Johnnies scored twice in a four-minute span between the second and third periods. Adam Holmgren (So., Blaine, Minn.) scored at the 17:58 mark of the second period, and Langenbrunner put the Johnnies ahead with a goal at the 1:24 mark of the third.

Cesky tied the game for the Auggies at the 9:07 mark, but four minutes later, Scott Bjorklund (Fr., Moorhead, Minn.) put the Johnnies ahead to stay with a goal from Matt Czech (Fr., Oakdale, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) at the 13:38 mark. Langenbrunner's empty-net goal with 27 seconds left sealed the game.

Bjorklund had a three-point night with a goal and two assists.

Aaron Bulman (So., Maple Grove, Minn./Wayzata HS) made 26 saves to claim the win, while Pete Samargia (Sr., Gilbert, Minn./Eveleth-Gilbert HS) stopped 28 shots for the Auggies. St. John's outshot Augsburg by a 34-30 margin.

Augsburg returns to action next weekend with a two-game MIAC series against Gustavus. Friday's (11/8) game, at 7 p.m., is part of a hockey doubleheader at the Augsburg Ice Arena (Augsburg's women's team hosts Lake Forest at 4 p.m.). Saturday's game is at 7 p.m. at Gustavus. St. John's has next weekend off before returning to action on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at Wisconsin-Eau Claire.