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Last Action: The Cardinals outlasted Nichols in the first game of the Nichols Holiday Tournament, getting a shootout goal by Jeff Miller (Portage, Mich.) to beat the Bison 5-4 on Saturday, before surrendering four goals in the third period in falling to Wesleyan 5-3 in the championship game Sunday.… UW-Eau Claire, meanwhile, has not played since Dec. 11-12, when the Blugolds dropped back-to-back 4-2, 4-2 decisions to UW-Stevens Point in Stevens Point, Wis.

Last Meeting — November 8, 2008: UW-Eau Claire erupted for three goals in the third period en route to a 6-2 nonconference victory over SMU at the Hobbs Ice Center in Eau Claire, Wis.

Saint Mary's Cardinal Notes: Last weekend's two games in the Nichols Tournament were the ninth and 10th road games for the Cardinals, whose only home game prior to tonight's was a 3-2 loss to Hamline on Nov. 22. … Kevin Wentland (Columbia Heights, Minn.) and Anthony Bohn (Spring Hill, Fla.) each had a goal in both tournament games for the Cardinals. … Wentland also had an assist in both of SMU's tournament games. … SMU's five goals vs. Nichols last Saturday — including Jeff Miller's (Portage, Mich.) shootout tally — came form five different players, while SMU's three goals vs. Wesleyan were also scored by three different players. … Bohn's goal vs. Wesleyan was his team-leading fourth of the season, while his assist vs. the Cardinals and his three tournament points push his team-bests to six assists and 10 points. … SMU's 21 goals have come from 12 different players, while 16 Cardinals have notched at least one point. … Jason Horstman (Faribault, Minn.), who finished with 58 saves in his two tournament starts last weekend, enters this weekend with a 4.12 goals-against-average and an .883 save percentage. … The Cardinals' offensive effort vs. Nichols snapped a streak of nine straight games in which SMU was held to three goals or less. … The Cardinals have given up 14 power play goals — including all four goals vs. Nichols last Saturday — while scoring on just 5 of 56 power play opportunities. … The Cardinals have surrendered 10 goals in the opening two minutes of a period through 10 games. … The Cardinals surrendered four second-period goals vs. UW-River Falls on Dec. 4 and four third-period goals vs. Wesleyan last Sunday, and have now been outscored 21-8 in the game's middle period and 16-8 in the third period.

UW-Eau Claire Blugold Notes: With their two 4-2 losses to UW-Stevens Point on Dec. 11-12, the Blugolds have now played nine games decided by two goals or less. … The Blugolds have not allowed more than four goals in a game this season — and have scored three goals in all three of their wins. … Two of UW-EC's three wins have been by 3-0 decisions — blanking Augsburg and UW-Stout. … All three of the Blugolds' wins have come on their home ice. … UW-Eau Claire has played three overtime games this season, and all three have ended in ties — 1-1 vs. UW-River Falls, 2-2 vs. UW-Superior and 2-2 vs. UW-Stout. … Joe Bluhm and Brant Marple enter tonight's game vs. Saint Mary's sharing the team lead in points with eight. Marple also leads the squad in assists (6), while Isaiah Bennis boasts a team-best four goals. … UW-EC's 25 goals have come from 12 different players, while 19 Blugolds have recorded at least one point. … Brandon Stephenson and Tyler Brigl have shared the goaltending duties this season, combining for a 2.34 goals-against-average and a .912 save percentage. … UW-Eau Claire has allowed 15 of its 31 goals in the second period, while the Blugolds have scored 10 of their 25 goals in the third period.