NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College men's hockey team was shut out, 2-0, by Bethel University on Friday night in game one of the teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) series at St. Olaf Ice Arena.

Ethan Hull scored late in the first period and Bethel (11-8-5, 7-6-2 MIAC) preserved the lead before Spencer Kring added an empty-netter in the final 30 seconds. St. Olaf (11-8-5, 7-6-2 MIAC) generated 37 shots on goal, but Austin Ryman stopped all 37 for the Royals.

Both teams entered the night already having clinched spots in the MIAC Playoffs, although seeding was on the line for both teams. With the loss, the Oles are locked into the No. 5 seed and will play their quarterfinal on the road on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at the No. 4 seed.

Hull gave Bethel the only goal it would need at 16:07 of the first period by putting home a rebound off a shot by Connor Brazil. The score remained 1-0 all the way until Kring intercepted a pass near his own blue line and flung the puck in for an empty-netter in the final 30 seconds.

St. Olaf was unable to convert on three power plays in the loss. The Oles fired three shots on goal in the first 25 seconds of their power play that started at 7:10 of the third but couldn't find a way past Ryman. Ryman produced the biggest of his 37 saves with 5:55 to go in the third to deny first year Carl Ericksen's wrap-around attempt.

First year Ryan Nolan stopped 30-of-31 shots but took the hard-luck loss for St. Olaf. Ryman had 10 saves in the first, 14 in the second, and 13 more in the third for Bethel.

The Oles and Royals will drop the puck on the regular-season finale at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 at Bethel University Arena at the National Sports Center in Blaine.