MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Senior Jonathan Panisa scored a pair of third-period goals as the St. Olaf College men's hockey team rallied from a 2-0 deficit late in the second period to pick up a 3-2 victory over Augsburg University on Saturday night at Ed Saugestad Rink.

After a 3-0 win in Northfield on Friday night, Augsburg (6-12-3, 3-7-2 MIAC) was poised for a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) sweep with a 2-0 lead late in the second period before St. Olaf (9-5-5, 5-3-2 MIAC) scored three unanswered goals to salvage a split. Panisa led the comeback effort with two third-period goals, including the game-winner with 3:49 remaining, as the Oles improved to 3-1-1 on the season following a loss.

Panisa's two-goal performances was his second in the last three games and gave him six goals in eight MIAC games this season. The win kept the Oles in fifth place in the MIAC standings with a three-point cushion ahead of Hamline University, which has played two more games than St. Olaf.

Following a scoreless first period, Augsburg built a 2-0 lead with goals from Peyton Hanson and Cade Stibbe at the 5:31 and 14:04 marks of the second period. Just four seconds after Stibbe's goal made it 2-0, the Auggies committed an interference penalty right after the ensuing faceoff to give St. Olaf its first power play of the game.

The Oles cashed in on the power play when junior Tony Leahy swept the puck home after a shot by Panisa missed the net for Leahy's third goal of the season. Just 35 seconds after Leahy's goal, St. Olaf was assessed a five-minute major for high sticking, but the Oles killed off the penalty that spanned into the first minute of the third period.

After surviving the five-minute power play, St. Olaf proceeded to tie the game at 2-2 when first year Hunter Hayes sent a backhand pass to the left for Panisa to fire home on the power play at 4:43 of the second for the Oles' second power-play goal in as many opportunities. Hayes picked up assists on each of St. Olaf's first two goals to give him six for the season.

Panisa completed the comeback at 16:11 of the third period by firing the puck top shelf from low in the right circle off assists from first years Willy Johnson and Evan Smutney. Augsburg got its goalie off the ice for all but six seconds of the final 1:58 but was unable to find a tying goal. Sophomore Matthew Malin made a save on Zachary Reim's shot from the slot as time expired to seal the victory.

Malin made 30 saves to improve to 4-1-3 in eight starts this season for St. Olaf. The sophomore has held the opposition to two or fewer goals in seven of his eight starts. After a shutout on Friday night, Alex Timmons tallied 25 saves in the loss for the Auggies.

The Oles will travel to Duluth for their series opener against the College of St. Scholastica at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6.