Forward Tyler Gubb scored two goals for the St. Thomas men’s hockey team Thursday, helping push his team past Augsburg 4-2 at Saint Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights.

The Tommies (12-10-2 overall, 9-5-1 MIAC) came away with a victory against a scrappy Auggie (8-13-3 overall, 7-7-2 MIAC) team that was eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. St. Thomas clinched a playoff birth with the win and can grasp a top-two playoff seed with a victory at Augsburg Saturday.

“That was actually very ugly, but we found a way to win and that’s the most important thing,” coach Jeff Boeser said.

Despite scoring 1:26 into the first period, the St. Thomas attack sputtered for much of the first 40 minutes of the game. Augsburg outshot St. Thomas 34-21, with many of the Augsburg shots resulting from 15 Tommie penalty minutes in the first two periods.

“It’s hard to get a flow when you’re in the penalty box,” Boeser said.

After killing three minor penalties in the first period, St. Thomas held a 1-0 lead at the intermission on Gubb’s third goal of the season. However, the Auggies responded 54 seconds into the second period, tying the score at one with forward Ben McClellan’s unassisted goal.

The St. Thomas penalty woes continued in the second period when the Tommies were called for illegally covering the puck in their own crease, giving the Auggies a penalty shot. Goaltender Tyrone Simcoe denied the Augsburg opportunity, keeping the score level at 1-1.

Less than five minutes after the penalty shot, St. Thomas defenseman John Kirtland was whistled for checking from behind. He was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for the offense.

The Auggies converted on the power play 16 seconds into the penalty; a blast from defenseman Landon Olson put Augsburg up 2-1. The goal prompted Boeser to pull goaltender Tyrone Simcoe halfway through the game in favor of goaltender Drew Fielding.

“I felt bad having to pull our senior, but I just wasn’t really happy with where the shot came from,” Boeser said.

Augsburg dominated the remainder of the second period, but Fielding kept St. Thomas in the game, fending off nine shots in less than 10 minutes of the second period, including one breakaway. The Tommies were outshot 16-4 in the second period alone.

St. Thomas was able to cut down the penalties in the third period and start a comeback to clinch a MIAC playoff berth.

“We just went around the room and talked what they can do this period to help us win,” Boeser said.

Captain and defenseman Rob Vannelli said his team needed to get it together in the third period.

“I just told the guys we had to come together if we wanted to be successful and have a shot at making the playoffs and winning the league, possibly,” Vannelli said after playing his last regular-season home game as a Tommie.

After given the chance to regroup during the intermission, the Tommies came out refreshed and controlled the early part of the third period. St. Thomas tied the game after five minutes when Gubb pounded home a rebound from inside the crease for his second goal of the game.

“I beat a guy and just grinded one in there,” Gubb said about his third period goal. “It wasn’t a pretty goal but, hey, I’ll take it.”

The Tommies took the lead 41 seconds later with a goal from forward Brandon Bahnemann. St. Thomas controlled play for the remainder of the third period, and forward Bryce Walker’s empty net goal sealed the 4-2 victory.

Vannelli said the Tommies can build off their third period success in games to come.

“A lot of teams go into playoffs not the highest seed always, but the hottest team that has a lot of success,” Vannelli said. “We’re trying to click here in the last game, and the third period was a good start for that.”

The team continues to remain focused going into its final game of the regular season Saturday at Augsburg.

“All we can do is control our team, and we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Boeser said.

Jacob Sevening can be reached at seve8586@stthomas.edu.