SAINT PAUL, MINN.--The Hamline University men's hockey team defeated Saint John's  (Minn.) 5-2 at TRIA Rink on Saturday evening, snapping a three-game losing skid and salvaging a weekend split.

The Pipers improve to 7-14-0, 5-7-0 MIAC, while the Johnnies fall to 8-11-0, 5-5-0 MIAC.

Hamline 5, Saint John's (Minn.) 2

The first period saw the Pipers take an early 1-0 lead, with Calvin Knight scoring the opening goal at 1:35, assisted by Brandon McNamara and Carson Simon. They extended their advantage to 2-0 when Brock Carls found the back of the net at 6:32, assisted by AJ Carls and Ryan Brandt. The Johnnies had several opportunities during their power plays but failed to capitalize, with numerous shots either missing or being blocked by the Pipers' defense.

Despite several missed shots early in the second period, Hamline eventually found success when Will Matzke scored at 5:58 with assists from Carson Simon and Jordon Halverson, increasing the margin to 3-0. The Pipers continued to press with a series of shots saved by goalie Bailey Huber, while the Johnnies struggled to capitalize on their scoring opportunities, including a power play opportunity following a hooking penalty on Ryan Brandt at 18:28. The frame ended with Hamline maintaining their 3-0 lead, as both teams failed to score during a late power play for Saint John's.

The third period resulted in a pair of Johnnies power-play goals courtesy of Jackson Bisson at 00:24 and 16:45, which narrowed the Pipers' lead to 3-2. Despite Saint John's aggressive play, including multiple shot attempts from players like Sam Berry and Zach Enebak, Hamline's defense held strong with goaltender Trevor Wong making several key saves. The Pipers capitalized on a pair of empty-net tallies in the final minutes, with Carson Simon scoring at 18:47, and Jonah Mortenson at 19:35, securing a 5-2 victory.

Brandon McNamara stood out for the Pipers with a notable faceoff win percentage of 62% and a plus-minus rating of +3. Jonah Mortenson was a key offensive player, recording one goal. Carson Simon paced the Pipers in points with three, including one goal and two assists, and also maintained a plus-minus of +3. Will Matzke made a significant impact by netting the game-winning goal. Jordon Halverson provided strong playmaking with three assists and held a team-leading plus-minus of +4. Pipers goaltender Trevor Wong stopped 23 shots in net. Shots on goal favored Hamline by a 35-25 margin.

Jackson Bisson stood out for the Johnnies with two goals, both on power plays. Chris Kernan demonstrated strong performance in faceoffs, winning 68 percent of his attempts. Johnnies goaltender Bailey Huber made 30 saves, despite allowing three goals, showing resilience in the net. Saint John's finished 2-of-7 on the power play.

Hamline will travel to Concordia (Minn.) for a weekend series beginning on Friday, February 7 at 7 p.m.