NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College men's hockey team moved into playoff position heading into the final day of the regular season with a 2-0 shutout victory against Gustavus Adolphus College on Friday night at St. Olaf Ice Arena.

Junior Brendan Darby and sophomore Jonathan Young each had a goal and an assist for St. Olaf (12-10-2, 6-8-1 MIAC) and sophomore Thomas Lalonde stopped all 20 shots he faced to keep Gustavus (3-18-3, 1-12-2 MIAC) off the board. With the victory, the Oles surpassed last season's win total and their 12 victories this season are tied for the most for the program since winning 13 games in 2011-12.

With the victory and results elsewhere, St. Olaf leapfrogged Saint Mary's University (Minn.) and Bethel University to move into fifth place in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) standings, with the top five teams qualifying for the MIAC Playoffs. The win coupled with losses for both the Royals and Cardinals means the Oles will clinch a playoff spot with a regulation win on Saturday.

Darby opened the scoring for St. Olaf with his second goal of the season at the 8:39 mark of the opening period, beating a Gustie skater along the left boards before scoring on a shot from the left circle after first year Gunnar Johnson's shot from the top of the right circle caromed to Darby. Johnson's assist was his third in the last four games, with Young also picking up an assist on the goal.

The Gusties nearly tied the game at 1-1 at the first intermission, but Dylan Gast's shot with 10 seconds remaining in the period hit the post. The Oles went on to grab the lone goal of the second period through Young to double their lead to 2-0. Young collected his seventh goal of the season by swatting home a rebound after first year Jonathan Panisa's shot was saved at 10:36 of the middle period.

Lalonde and St. Olaf made the lead hold up the rest of the way, as Lalonde stopped all 20 shots on goal the Gusties managed. Both teams only had one power-play opportunity in the game.

The Oles look to earn the right to try and defend their MIAC Playoffs title from a season ago with a 7 p.m. puck drop at Don Roberts Ice Rink in St. Peter in the regular-season finale on Saturday, Feb. 18.