Box Score

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WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary's University men's hockey coach Don Olson isn't much for moral victories, and he's certain that the 18 players and three goalies that dressed for Saturday's nonconference game against UW-Stevens Point aren't either.

But the Cardinal head coach had a tough time feeling too down about his team's performance in a 3-1 setback at the SMU Ice Arena — even if his Cardinals didn't agree.

"It's hard to feel too down, because I thought we played very well," said Olson, whose team is still searching for its first win of the year, as the Cardinals fell to 0-3-1 overall — and saw their winless streak climb to 11, dating back to a 5-4 overtime win vs. Hamline on Jan. 26, 2007. "You have to give Stevens Point credit, they played very well and battled from start to finish — but so did we, and that's something we haven't done this season."

The Cardinals jumped out front before most of the 432 in attendance could even get comfortable in their seats, as Anthony Bohn (Spring Hill, Fla.) netted his first goal of the season 1:08 into the opening period. The Pointers got the equalizer with less than six minutes remaining in the period, and Tim Manthey's powerplay goal late in the second period gave UW-SP the lead for good. Brett Beckfeld added an insurance goal — the Pointers' second powerplay goal of the night and the sixth powerplay goal given up by the Cardinals in their last two games — with five minutes remaining in regulation to ice the win.

"I told the guys after Friday's game (a 6-4 setback vs. UW-Eau Claire in which SMU held a 3-1 lead after the first  period) that I struggled to get any sleep all night because I was so frustrated with our lack of effort," said Olson, whose Cardinals open conference play next Friday and Saturday, playing host to Saint John's in a two-game series. "I won't have any trouble sleeping tonight.

"I know there isn't a guy in that locker room who is going to be happy with tonight's outcome — and I hope they aren't satisfied with a good effort in a loss," Olson added. "We played a very good hockey game against a very good team — we put ourselves in a position to win tonight, we just weren't able to get the job done."