Game Summary

WINONA, Minn. — With the game's first goal, four minutes into the opening period, the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team put an end to a season-long streak.

After giving up the first goal in their first seven contests, Adam Gill's (Rochester, Minn.) wrist shot over the blocker of Augsburg's Tony Ciro gave the Cardinals their first first-period lead of the season.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals may have scored early, but it was the Auggies who scored often, as Augsburg erupted for seven goals — including four in the game's final 20 minutes — in handing SMU its third straight MIAC setback, 7-2 at the SMU Ice Arena.

"I don't know what to say," said a disappointed Don Olson, SMU's head coach. "We came out with a lot of energy, got up on (Augsburg) early, and really seemed to be carrying the play.

"But once (Augsburg) started to take the body a little bit, we just wilted," continued Olson, whose team fell to 0-3-0 in the MIAC and 1-6-1 overall. "Against St. Thomas (2-1 and 3-2 losses), we battled so hard, and the final score showed that. But tonight, we after that early burst, we just didn't compete the way we are capable."

The Cardinals' first-period lead lasted just nine minutes, as the Auggies' Brett May tied the game with the first of two Augsburg power-play goals. Aaron Johnson added his third of the season less than four minutes later as the Auggies took a 2-1 lead — a lead they would never relinquish — into the locker room after the first period.

Critter Nagurski netted the lone goal of the second period to but Augsburg up 3-1, before the Auggies' Patrick Fogerty and SMU's David Gross (Grasston, Minn.) traded goals in the first 11 minutes of the third period to make it a 4-2 game.

That, however, was as close as the Cardinals would get as Augsburg rattled off three goals in the final seven minutes — including two 43 seconds apart — to ice the win.

"It's disappointing, because I know we can play better," said Olson, whose team will get another shot at the Auggies Saturday evening in Minneapolis. "We can't afford to play anything less than our best hockey if we are going to compete in this league.

"We started out that way, but we certainly didn't finish like that."