Box Score Somewhere along Highway 169, the Hamline men's hockey team found out they would have a home game in the first round of the MIAC playoffs that begins Thursday, February 23. HU will host Concordia that night. But the Pipers went out anyway and fought a spirited Gustavus Adolphus team to a a 4-4 OT tie in their regular season finale at Don Roberts Rink in St. Peter. Hamline lost the ensuing shootout, 3-2, but it didn't matter -- the Pipers are in the MIAC playoffs for the right time in 10 years. For the second year in a row, they will face Concordia. 

The Pipers came out shooting at GAC Saturday night, finishing with a 39-34 advantage. Drake Hunter scored his second goal of the season to offset an early GAC goal in the first period. Mitch McPherson gave a HU a 2-1 lead but the Gusties scored three times in a four and a half minute span to take a 4-2 lead after two.

Hamline responded in the third period with goals from Dan Bartkowiak and Garett Schmitz to force overtime. Neither team scored in the extra five minutes, forcing another shootout. HU forged got goals from Brandon Wahlin and Mitch Hall but were deadlocked at 2 after four tries. It went to the eighth shot when the Gusties scored and Mitch McPherson was snuffed before the verdict was decided, 

Hamline finishes in fourth place in the MIAC with a 7-5-4 record (27 points) and stands 10-10-5 overall. They will face a Cobber team they defeated 4-2 and lost a shootout to in mid-January in Moorhead. Concordia, which lost to Bethel, 4-3, today is 13-10-2 overall and went 7-7-2 in MIAC play. Game time at Oscar Johnson Arena is 7:00 p.m.