Game Summary

MENOMONIE, Wis. — After a pair of heartbreaking defeats against nationally ranked teams to open their season last week, the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team was in dire need of a breather Friday evening against UW-Stout.

They didn't get one.

But the Cardinals did get a win.

For the third straight game, the Cardinals' fate went right down to the final horn, but after faltering in the third period in losses to Lake Forest (5-3) and St. Norbert (5-4), this time around, SMU was able to hold on, posting a 4-3 nonconference win.

"It was a good win for us," understated SMU coach Don Olson, whose team got a 41-save effort from Ryne Ess (Eden Prairie, Minn.) in posting their first win of the year. "It was similar to our first two games in that we played very well at times, but also made our share of mistakes along the way.

"Fortunately, this time around, the guys were able to get a win for their efforts."

John Paul (St. Paul, Minn.) got the Cardinals on the board first, netting his first collegiate goal three minutes into the opening period. The Cardinals' lead was short-lived, however, as UW-Stout knotted the game, 1-1, just over a minute later.

The two teams traded goals in the period's final 12 minutes — SMU's coming off the stick of Mike Bry (Manvel, N.D.) — and UW-Stout took its only lead of the game when Scott Sikkink beat Ess late in the second period to give the Blue Devils a 3-2 advantage heading into the game's final period.

It was in the game's final 20 minutes, however, that the Cardinals were at their best, getting first-ever collegiate goals from Adam Fingerhut (Oak Brook, Ill.) and David Gross (Grasston, Minn.) a minute apart midway through the period to give SMU the lead for good.

"It was a hard-fought game — I was very pleased with the way our guys competed," said Olson, whose team returns to action Saturday night, playing host to No. 5-ranked UW-River Falls, which tied St. Thomas 3-3 Friday evening. "We've gotten a little better with each game we've played — hopefully that trend will continue."