Box Score This time, Hamline was thrilled to be in a shootout. Mitch Hall (21) scored the lone goal in the 1-on-1 competition to lift Hamline to a thrilling come-from-behind decision over Bethel at the Super Rink in Blaine. HU had rallied from a 5-1 third period deficit to tie the game at 5 and force overtime. When neither team scored in the five-minute session, HU went to a shootout for the third game in a row. Hall had the only tally to give HU the extra point and improve their point total to four in conference play. HU is officially 3-3-3 on the season and 0-0-3 in the MIAC. 

The night didn't start well. The Royals scored twice in the final five minutes of the first period to grab a 2-0 intermission edge. Brandon Zurn gave the Pipers life when he scored an unassisted goal 34 seconds into the middle frame. But the Royals came back to score twice in that period and added a fifth tally 1:44 into the third. 

That's when the Pipers kicked it into high gear and mounted a bigtime comeback. Jaycob McCombs started it with a goal just 37 seconds after the fifth BU netter. Hall and Charlie Adams combined to set up Jesse Kessler for a power play goal at 5:37 to make it 5-3. Nine minutes later, the tension kicked up another notch when Adams found the back of the net to cut the lead to 5-4. Zurn, who had fed Adams for his goal, then nailed his second of the night at 17:29 and the game was suddenly headed into overtime. In all, Hamline unleashed 18 shots on goal in the third period. 

The OT was fairly even with BU holding a slight 4-3 shots edge. (HU had the advantage for the game at 31-27). 

Both teams missed their first two shootout tries. Hall took the third HU shot, moving in slowly and then beating BU goalie Matt Rowe from close range. Erick Majerle, who had replaced starting goalie John Sellie-Hanson midway in the game,  then stuffed the BU shooter and the Pipers ended up on the winning side of a shootout for the first time. (They lost both shootouts with Gustavus Adolphus two weeks ago.) 

The teams now repair to Oscar Johnson Arena for a rematch Saturday night. Game time is 7:00 p.m.