Box Score Game Summary / GameDay Preview

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. — After back-to-back games in which the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team got game-tying goals late in the third period, the Cardinals could have used some late-game heroics — or any heroics for that matter — Saturday against St. Thomas.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the third time was not a charm, as St. Thomas scored three times in the second period and cruised to a 6-2 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win over SMU at the St. Thomas Ice Arena.

“They just outworked us tonight,” said SMU coach Bill Moore of the Tommies. “They were able to create so many odd-man rushes because they just overpowered us along the boards.

“I thought there were spurts in which we played pretty well, but overall, we just never got into a rhythm out there tonight.”

The Tommies put the Cardinals — coming off a thrilling 3-3 tie against the Tommies Friday night in which Kevin Wentland (Columbia Heights, Minn.) scored with 12 seconds remaining in regulation — on their heels early, scoring just 38 seconds into the opening period to take a 1-0 advantage.

And things just went from bad to worse, as UST built its lead to 4-0 before Scott Deur (Big Rapids, Mich.) netted his first collegiate goal to get the Cardinals on the board late in the second period.

UST would quickly add to more goals early in the third to make it a 6-1 game, and SMU's Mike Schaber (Blaine, Minn.) rounded out the scoring with his second of the game late in the frame.


“We can't afford to dwell too much on this game,” said Moore, whose team is back in action on Friday, traveling to Augsburg for a 7:05 p.m. conference contest. “We just need to regroup and keep working to get better.”