Box Score Game Summary vs. GAC /
GameDay Online
MANKATO, Minn. — Gustavus entered Sunday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rematch against the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team having scored six goals in each of its first five games — including a 6-0 victory over the Cardinals in Friday's conference opener at the SMU Ice Arena.
SMU held the high-powered Gustie offense in check Sunday, limiting GAC to just three goals.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that was the highlight of the evening.
While the defense did its part, the Cardinals' offense remained in an early season deep freeze, as Gustavus — ranked No. 14 in the latest USCHO.com Poll — posted its second straight shutout over SMU with a 3-0 victory at All Seasons Arena.
“It was one of those good-game, bad-game days,” said SMU coach
Bill Moore, whose Cardinals are still looking for their first win of the season. “On the good-game side, we held a very good offensive team to just three goals. On the bad-game side, we struggled again offensively.
“It's frustrating for all of us,” Moore added. “There isn't a person on this team who doesn't want to win — who doesn't want to do whatever it takes to get us over the hump. We're just in a real funk right now.”
The Gusties got all the offense they would need in the first period, as Jared Ackmann netted his first of the season at 2:57 of the opening period and David Martinson added his 10th 14 minutes later to give GAC a 2-0 cushion after 20 minutes.
GAC pushed that lead to 3-0 eight minutes into the second period on a power play goal by Rory Dynan.
“As much as you have to give Gustavus credit, we were our own worst enemy tonight,” said Moore, referring to the fact that SMU was whistled for 10 penalties, while Gustavus had just four. “You can't spend that much time killing penalties — that's 20 minutes of a 60-minute game that we are playing a man down. It doesn't matter who you are playing, you can't afford to be taking that many penalties.”
Greg Moore (Woodbury, Minn.) stopped 33 of the Gusties' 36 shots, while GAC goalie Matthew Lopes stopped all 20 SMU shots en route to the shutout.
The Cardinals (0-2-0 MIAC, 0-6-0) — who have now been shutout in back-to-back games for the first time since before the 1982-83 season — return to action Friday, playing host to Concordia for the first of two MIAC games against the Cobbers at the SMU Ice Arena.
