MANKATO — David Martinson is still hot, the defense is coming on strong, and pretty soon, the Gustavus Adolphus College hockey team will have a place to call home again.
The Gusties delivered their second straight shutout Sunday, blanking St. Mary’s 3-0 in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Mankato’s All Seasons Arena. Gustavus also shut out the Cardinals 6-0 on Friday.
“I don’t know if we’ve had back-to-back shutouts before,” Gustavus head coach Brett Petersen said afterward. “I’ve been here since 2000, and I’m pretty sure it hasn’t happened during that time.”
Senior Matt Lopes was the goalie Sunday, stopping all 20 shots.
He and Josh Swartout, who got the shutout Friday, have been alternating this season just like they did for all of last year.
“Swarty’s been playing great and the defense has really been doing the job,” Lopes said after Sunday’s game. “They’re all stepping up and playing great right now. I mean, our only loss is to the No. 1 team in the country, so that’s pretty good.”
Lopes did not have to work particularly hard Sunday except for one flurry when he blocked a point-blank shot by a St. Mary’s forward who gathered up the rebound and tried again.
Lopes was sitting on the ice for the second attempt and made a nifty glove save to prevent it from going in.
“That wasn’t so much a great save as a bad shot,” Lopes said with a chuckle. “I think if I took that shot, I would have scored.”
Fortunately for the Gusties, Lopes wasn’t counted on to do any scoring in the game.
Jared Ackmann gave his team the only goal it needed at 2:57 of the first period when he took a cross-slot pass from Rory Dynan and popped in an 8-foot shot before goalie Greg Moore could slide into position.
Just before the end of the period, Martinson got into the act. Ross Ring-Jarvi rifled a pass from the right sideboards to the bottom of the slot that Martinson buried up high for a 2-0 Gustavus lead. It was Martinson’s 10 goal of the season in just six games.
“He came out running this year,” coach Petersen said. “And he’s the complete package. He’s just as good off the ice as he is on it.”
Martinson gives credit to his linemates for the fast start.
“I skated with two seniors last year and they’re gone, so we had to change it up this year,” he said. “Usually the coach tries a lot of difference combinations but he put me and Ross (Ring-Jarvi) and Brad (Wieck) together right away, and we just clicked.
“I’ve been getting a lot of the goals so far, but I’m sure it’s going to even out. They’re good players and they’ll get their goals.”
Gustavus ended up outshooting St. Mary’s 36-20. Also getting assists for the Gusties were Matt Schugel, Wieck, Casey Dynan and Ryan Noonan.
The loss drops St. Mary’s to 0-6 and 0-1 in the MIAC.
Gustavus (5-1, 2-0) will have another 2:30 p.m. “home” game in Mankato next weekend against St. Olaf at All Seasons Arena.
On Nov. 30, the Gusties are expected to be back on their newly-repaired ice at Lund Arena.
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