Matt Forster gave St. John’s a 1-0 lead. (Photo courtesy of St. John’s SID)

QUEENS, N.Y. – Skage Simonsen scored only seconds after DePaul University did in the 81st minute to secure a 2-2 draw and a point in the Big East standings at Belson Stadium Saturday night.

It turned out to be one crazy finish.

With St. John’s in the driver’s seat and less than 15 minutes remaining in regulation, DePaul scored twice within a three-minute span to grab a 2-1 lead. Zach El-Shafei struck in the 78th minute before Istvan Wilhelms found the back of the net exactly three minutes later. Matthew Brickman assisted on both goals while Sasa Labovic also picked up an assist on the second score.

As quickly as DePaul turned the tide, St. John’s answered even quicker. Only 21 seconds after surrendering the lead, the Johnnies knotted the game with Simonsen.

Getting possession of the ball 35 yards from the goal, Johan Aquilon played a long pass into the box toward the left post for Simonsen. The freshman from Norway corraled the ball before finishing to the near side.

Simonsen, who tallied his fifth goal this season, has scored more than any other freshman in the Big East.

St. John’s (6-6-2, 2-2-2) outshot DePaul (4-7-3, 1-3-2), 18-8.

Following a flurry that saw the Johnnies have two chances in the 59th and 60th minutes, Matt Forster broke through in the 62nd with the first goal. Aquilon began the sequence with a run down the right side of the field before sending a cross into traffic intended for Forster. Despite the congestion in the box, Forster leapt and struck the ball in the air, flicking it past the keeper and putting the Johnnies ahead, 1-0.

Forster’s was his sixth of the year, tying him for the most by a Red Storm player since Nelson Becerra scored eight in 2008.

St. John’s has three regular-season games remaining. The squad travels to Villanova University Wednesday before closing out the campaign at Georgetown University Saturday and Senior Night against Providence College Oct. 31.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.