Box Score Perseverance paid off for the Hamline men's hockey team Saturday night. Held scoreless by Bethel for 51 1/2 minutes, the Pipers exploded for two goals in 20 seconds to take a 2-1 win from the Royals at TRIA Rink. 

Mitch Hall, one of two seniors honored before the game, got HU on the board at 11:33 of the third period when he worked his way through traffic and tucked a shot just under the cross bar. The power play goal offset a tally by the Royals in the second period and brought the building to life. 

20 seconds later, Don Carter, Jr. fired from a sharp angle and picked a corner for his first collegiate goal -- one that proved to be the difference. 

HU goalie Sam Nelson had 24 saves, several of them acrobatic. There were some tense moments in the late going, particularly when the Pipers took a pair of penalties. The second of these came with just 1:24 on the clock. For the final minute of play, the BU goalie exited to make it six-on-four but Nelson and the Pipers held firm for the win to improve to 3-16-2 overall and 3-9-1 in the MIAC. Hamline has 11 points and sits in seventh place in the league but is just two points behind fifth place Gustavus Adolphus, who controls the last playoff spot.

The Pipers are off next week. They resume play February 8 against St. Mary's in Winona. Game time is 7:00 p.m.