Box Score Game Summary

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team made it look easy Friday evening, getting a hat trick from Melissa Mondo (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) en route to a convincing 5-2 win over St. Catherine.

And the Cardinals made it look just as easy early on in Saturday's rematch at the SMU Ice Arena — getting a goal from Amy Madden (East Grand Rapids, Mich.) just 49 seconds into the opening period.

The rest of the game, however, was anything but easy, as St. Catherine rallied from a two-goal deficit — scoring back-to-back goals two minutes apart early in the third period — as the Wildcats escaped with a 2-2 tie.

And a crucial conference point.

The Cardinals entered Saturday's game trailing St. Olaf and Bethel — the Cardinals' opponents in the final two weeks of the season — and with the tie, rather than a much-needed win, SMU falls yet another point back in the playoff chase.

"I'm a little disappointed," admitted SMU coach Terry Mannor, whose team had won its last five games — including two in overtime — to climb into the MIAC playoff hunt. "I think Friday's game hurt us a bit. We were so dominant (in their 5-2 win, in which SMU held a 44-24 advantage in shots on goal), and we came out and scored less than a minute into (Saturday's) game — I think we just got overconfident."

Madden picked up her second goal of the game midway through the second period, and it appeared like the Cardinals were well on their way to conference win No. 6.

Then came the third period.

Two minutes of the third period, to be exact.

Angie Johnson got the Wildcats on the board at the 2:47 mark of the final period, and Resche Hierlmaier got the equalizer at 4:07 as St. Catherine made the most of its nine third-period shots.

"Once we scored that early goal, we seemed to relax — we weren't hungry and we didn't play with much enthusiasm," said Mannor. "And when you play like that, you risk the chance that it could come back and bite you.

"And it did."