NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Goals from Ryan Kero and Jack Johnson led visiting Saint John's University to a 2-0 victory over the St. Olaf College men's hockey team in the finale of a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) series between the Johnnies and Oles on Saturday evening at St. Olaf Ice Arena.

Kero's tally at 8:06 of the second period proved to be the game-winner for Saint John's (7-7-5, 4-2-4 MIAC), which shut out St. Olaf (3-15-1, 1-8-1 MIAC) for the second time in three nights. Mac Berglove and Andrew Lindgren combined for the shutout for the Johnnies by making a combined 31 saves.

After Berglove shut out St. Olaf in a 4-0 win by Saint John's on Thursday evening in St. Cloud, he stopped eight shots in 15:19 in net before exiting the game due to injury. Lindgren took over and made 23 saves over the final 44:41 to earn the victory.

The Oles held a slender edge in shots on goal in the opening period, outshooting the Johnnies by an 8-5 margin, but Saint John's came closest to scoring. Shortly after a St. Olaf power play expired, senior Noah Parker denied Kyle Wagner on a breakaway with a little over seven minutes remaining in the opening period to keep the game scoreless.

The Johnnies eventually broke through at 8:06 of the second period when Davis Kirkendall found Ryan Kero with a long cross-ice pass from right to left and Kero tucked the puck home for the opening goal. The teams combined for nine penalties in the second period but Kero's goal was the lone tally of the period.

St. Olaf generated 13 shots on goal in the final period but the score remained 1-0 until Johnson provided Saint John's with an insurance goal via an empty-netter with 1:12 remaining. Parker saved 27 of the 28 shots he faced before being pulled for the extra attacker late on.

St. Olaf visits Bethel University on Friday, Feb. 7 to begin a series with the Royals. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. at Bethel University Arena at the National Sports Center in Blaine.