It was the offensive showing the Hamline men's hockey team had been waiting for all season. The Pipers burst out of the gate for three goals in the first 14:25 of play and kept up the pressure all night to defeat St. Mary's, 7-4, at TRIA Rink.

Seven different players scored for HU, whose previous best offensive showing had been four. Taylor Trapp set up two of those goals to help the Pipers to their second straight home ice win. Hamline is 4-17-2 overall and 4-9-1 in MIAC play. That places them in seventh place, four points behind St. Mary's for the last conference playoff spot.

Weiland Parish started the scoring barrage 6:44 into the game. 55 seconds later, John Sullivan snaked a shot through traffic for his first collegiate goal. Zak Lambrecht jammed shot home and the Pipers looked on their way.

The Cardinals had other ideas and tied the game in the second period. Tommy Hall put HU ahead for good with a wrap around power play goal and Brendan Sheehan gunned one from the slot to give HU a 5-3 lead after two periods. 

SMU chopped it to 5-4 but Mitch McPherson closed the door with a tally from in close at 17:57 of the final frame. Bailey Martin added an empty netter. For his part, Sam Nelson earned the win with 22 saves in goal.

The decision  kept the Pipers' playoff hopes alive. They will need some help. HU has 14 points and St. Mary's has 18. The Pipers will need a pair of wins against St. Thomas next weekend and SMU to not get a win in either of their games against St. Olaf. 

Hamline welcomes St. Thomas to TRIA on Friday, February 15 for a 7:00 p.m. faceoff. The teams meet the next night at St. Thomas Ice Arena.