Rochester Mayo wasn't about to let a big lead slip away for a second consecutive game.
The Spartans scored four second-period goals and held off a late charge by Faribault in a 4-3 Big Nine Conference victory on Thursday at Graham Arena I. The win came just two days after Mayo let a two-goal lead slip away in the third period of a tie against Albert Lea.
The victory also helped Mayo complete a remarkable turnaround in the second half of the season. After winning just four of its first 14 games, Mayo went 8-1-2 in its final 11 regular season games and finished the regular season above .500, at 12-11-2.
The Spartans will share the Big Nine title with Albert Lea if the Tigers lose to Owatonna on Saturday. An Albert Lea win or tie gives it the title outright.
Mayo also could earn home-ice advantage for a Section 1AA quarterfinal playoff game. The seedings for the section playoffs will be announced on Sunday. The first round is Tuesday and the quarterfinals are scheduled for Thursday.
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"Our boys deserve a lot of praise for the season they had," Mayo coach Lorne Grosso said. "They never stopped working and it got us a (8-1-2 record) in the last 11 games. It's a great accomplishment."
Faribault led 1-0 after one period on a goal by Brandon Teske.
Mayo responded, though, with four consecutive goals in the second period, by Tayler Sederquest, Derek McMasters, Bill Norman and Adam Alcott. Norman and Steve Serratore had two assists each, while Ryan Martin and Kyle Hildebrandt had one each.
Mayo goalie Alex Van Galder backstopped Thursday's win with 22 saves.
Luke Thom and Jack Helgeson scored in the third for the Falcons (6-5-0, 9-14-1).
JM 4, WINONA 3
Balanced Rockets win on road
WINONA — Four players scored once each for Rochester John Marshall as the Rockets closed their Big Nine Conference schedule with a 4-3 boys hockey victory at Winona on Thursday.
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JM improved to 10-4-0 in Big Nine play and 15-9-0 overall. it's the first time since the 2004-05 season that the Rockets have won at least 15 games in a season. That season, the Rockets advanced all the way to the Section 1AA championship game, where they fell to Rochester Century, 5-3.
This Rockets team has almost certainly clinched home ice for the quarterfinal round of the section playoffs, which begin next week. Seedings for the section tournament will be announced on Sunday.
JM twice built two-goal leads against Winona, but watched the Winhawks pull within one on both occasions. The Rockets went ahead 2-0 on goals by seniors Ryan Yetzer and Eric Mackey, but Winona took advantage of several power plays to battle back.
Senior defenseman Tom Foley and sophomore Alex Lovett answered with goals for JM to make it a 4-2 lead. Winona scored on a power play again halfway through the third to cap the scoring.
Gavin Sandwick had two assists, while Foley and Yetzer had one each.
Winona outshot JM, 26-25, and Rockets' senior goalie Bryan King stopped 23 shots. JM had trouble getting into a rhythm, as it took 20 minutes worth of penalties.
CENTURY 10, MANKATO EAST 1
A dozen Panthers make scoresheet
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Rochester Century received at least one point from 12 different players and the Panthers rolled to a 10-1 Big Nine Conference boys hockey victory against Mankato East at the Rochester Recreation Center on Thursday.
Century (7-6-0, 10-14-0) snapped a six-game losing skid in a big way, building a 7-0 lead in the first period and an 8-1 lead after two.
Isaac St. Marie led the charge for Century with a five-point game, two goals and three assists. Dalton Travis and Tyler Iverson each had three points (one goal, two assists), and Nick Raehsler and Joe Canakes had a goal and an assist each.
Panthers goalie Erik Wennberg stopped seven of the eight shots he faced. Century outshot East, 69-8.
Brett Applegath, Brandon Kautz, Luke Klugherz and Nick Jacobs each added one goal, while Adam Sherden, Mitchel Gade and Matt Sturchio had one assist apiece.
Century closes its regular season on Saturday, with a 7:30 p.m. game at Rosemount.
The Panthers begin play in the Section 1AA tournament on Thursday. Seedings for the tournament will be announced on Sunday.
