NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College men's hockey team scored three first-period goals and held off Gustavus Adolphus College in a 3-1 victory in its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and home opener on Friday night at St. Olaf Ice Arena.

Senior Jonathan Young, senior Tyler Cooper, and sophomore Tyler Green tallied goals in the first period for St. Olaf (2-2-1, 1-0-0 MIAC), which held Gustavus (0-3-0, 0-1-0 MIAC) scoreless until nearing the midpoint of the third period. The win was the Oles' fourth in the last five meetings with the Gusties since 2023.

Young got St. Olaf out to a 1-0 lead just 6:26 into the game and just 15 seconds into the first of the Oles' two power plays on the night. After senior Connor Kalthoff found Green with a point-to-point pass, Green slid the puck to Young just outside the crease and Young slotted the puck home for his fourth goal in five games this season.

St. Olaf added two goals in the space of just over three minutes late in the period to extend its lead to 3-0 after one. At 15:46 of the first, Cooper wrapped around behind the goal and flipped the puck in from in close off assists from junior Gunnar Johnson and sophomore Michael Webster. Just 3:09 later, Green fired a shot over the shoulder of the Gustavus goaltender from the right circle from junior Kelijah McElroy and senior Matthew Pointer.

The Oles killed off a pair of penalties in the second period and two more early in the third before Hunter Newhouse scored on a tic-tac-toe passing sequence by the Gusties at 7:24 for the visitors' lone goal of the game. Gustavus was 0-for-5 on the power play in the game, while St. Olaf was 1-for-2.

First year Matthew Malin – the reigning MIAC Defensive Player of the Week – stopped 38 of the 39 shots he faced to pick up his second victory, while Marko Belak had 12 saves for Gustavus after entering the game less than 11 minutes in.

The Oles and Gusties will conclude their series on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at Don Roberts Ice Rink in St. Peter.