ST. CLOUD, Minn. – For the sixth time in program history and the first time since 2013, Saint John's is headed to the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Tournament as playoff champions of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
The No. 1-seeded Johnnies rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat No. 2 Gustavus, 4-3, in overtime of the 2026 MIAC Playoff Championship game Saturday night in St. Cloud.
| Box Score |
Following the game, Saint John's received the MIAC Playoff Championship trophy, the Ed Saugestad Cup, and the Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Saint John's will learn its next opponent on Sunday evening when the NCAA releases its 2026 national tournament field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Gustavus jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a pair of goals late in the first period and a third score five minutes into the second frame.
-Chris Kernan's power-play goal midway through the second period sparked the SJU comeback, with a pair of third-period goals sending the game to overtime.
-The game-winning tally came off the stick of Cashen Naeve three-and-a-half minutes into overtime on a laser from just inside the blue line.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
-With the victory, Saint John's earned the MIAC's automatic qualifier to the 2026 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament. This is the seventh time in program history that the Johnnies will head to the national tournament, and the first time since 2013.
-The Playoff title is the sixth for the Johnnies, and the program's first since 2013.
-Saint John's is now tied with Gustavus for the second-most playoff crowns in MIAC men's hockey history, trailing only St. Thomas (11).
CHAMPIONSHIP APPAREL
Official playoff team-champion apparel is available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop, powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament.
NPI OUTLOOK
-The NCAA Power Index (NPI) is used to select the four at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Tournament after the 10 automatic qualifiers have been determined on March 8.
-The most recent NPI rankings on February 28, 2026, listed Saint John's at No. 18 and Gustavus at No. 22. Last season's NPI cut line was 8.
UP NEXT
-The 14-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Championship tournament will be revealed on Sunday, March 8, at 8:30 p.m. Central time on NCAA.com.
-The first round of the national tournament is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, with the national quarterfinals scheduled for Saturday, March 21. The national semifinals and final will be held at Utica University in Utica, New York, on March 27-29.
-The MIAC will announce its annual men's hockey awards, including All-Conference, All-Playoff, and individual honors, on Wednesday, March 11, at 2:00 p.m. Central time.
2026 MIAC MEN'S HOCKEY PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals | Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026
No. 4 Bethel 5, No. 5 St. Olaf 2 | Box Score |
Semifinals | Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
No. 2 Gustavus 6, No. 3 Saint Mary's 1 | Box Score |
No. 1 Saint John's 4, No. 4 Bethel 1 | Box Score |
Championship | Saturday, Mar. 7, 2026
No. 1 Saint John's 4, No. 2 Gustavus 3 (OT) | Box Score |
| 2026 MIAC Men's Hockey Playoffs |