Men's Hockey 1/7/05 -- Augsburg 3, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology 2 (EXHIBITION)

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (1/7/05) -- Joe Haehn (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS), Critter Nagurski (So., International Falls, Minn.) and Danny Clements (Fr., Grande Prairie, Alberta/Grande Prairie Composite HS) scored goals for Augsburg College, as the Auggies held on for a 3-2 victory over the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in a men's hockey exhibition game Friday night at the Augsburg Ice Arena.

Joe DeMichele (So., Cochrane, Alberta) scored both goals for SAIT, in its third game of a four-game exhibition tour against Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schools. The Trojans earlier defeated MIAC leader St. John's 2-1 on Tuesday and beat St. Olaf 9-7 on Wednesday. The Trojans conclude their tour on Saturday (1/8) at 7 p.m., with a game at St. Thomas.

Tony Ciro (Jr., Spring Lake Park, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) made 28 saves for Augsburg to pick up the victory, while Brent Williams (Jr., Calgary, Alberta) made 35 saves in a losing effort. Augsburg outshot SAIT by a 38-30 margin.

After a scoreless first period, SAIT jumped out to a lead at the 3:15 mark of the second frame, as DeMichele scored his first goal of the game, stealing the puck and walking in on the goalie as a SAIT penalty expired.

But Augsburg answered midway through the period, as Haehn continued his hot scoring streak with a blast from in front on the power play, on assists from Steve Belde (Sr., Lake Elmo, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) and Danny Carlson (Fr., Roseville, Minn.).

Before the holiday break, Haehn earned MIAC Player of the Week and U.S. College Hockey Online Division III National Offensive Player of the Week honors with six goals in three Auggie victories, including five on the power play. The statistics from Friday's exhibition game do not count towards Augsburg's totals, according to NCAA rules.

Augsburg outshot SAIT 20-6 in the third period, and scored twice to take a commanding lead. Nagurski scored on the power play from Aaron Johnson (So., Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) and Carlson, on a pop shot in front through a blocker at the 3:33 mark.

Clements completed the Auggie scoring with an Alberta-line score, as he took a back-door pass from Brent Osness (Jr., Calgary, Alberta/Springbrook HS) and deposited the puck in the net. An assist was also credited to Clements' identical twin brother, David Clements (Fr., Grande Prairie, Alberta/Grande Prairie Composite HS).

Two minutes later, SAIT cut the lead to one goal, as DeMichele scored his second goal of the game, taking a crossing pass from Ryan Hanley (Fr., Warfield, British Columbia) and putting it home. An assist was also credited to Adam Knight (So., Prince George, British Columbia.

Augsburg returns to MIAC regular-season action with a two-game series against St. Mary's next weekend. Friday's (1/14) game is at 8 p.m. at the Augsburg Ice Arena, in the second game of a hockey doubleheader (the Auggie women host Bethel at 5:05 p.m.). Saturday's (1/15) game is at 7 p.m. in Winona, Minn.