RIVER FALLS, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University men's hockey team returns to action after its lengthy Christmas break on Friday, traveling to UW-River Falls for a 7:05 p.m. contest against the Falcons at W.H. Hunt Arena.



The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (3-8-0 Overall) vs.
UW-River Falls Falcons (5-6-1 Overall)

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Last Action:
The Cardinals have been off since Dec. 10, when they gave up four unanswered goals in falling to Marian 4-1 in Fond du Lac, Wis. UW-River Falls, meanwhile, is also coming off a lengthy layoff, having not played since dropping a 4-3 NCHA decision to UW-Stout on Dec. 10

A Year Ago:
December 4, 2009 — The Falcons scored 1:30 into the opening period and never looked back en route to a 7-0 victory over the Cardinals at W.H. Hunt Arena.

January 9, 2010 — The Cardinals scored three of the game's first four goals, but couldn't hold a 3-1, third-period lead, falling to the nationally ranked Falcons 4-3 in overtime at the SMU Ice Arena.

Up Next:
The Cardinals close out the nonconference portion of their schedule on Saturday, traveling to Eau Claire, Wis., for a showdown against the Blugolds

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
Tonight's game marks the fifth of six straight road games for the Cardinals, who do not play at home again until Jan. 14 against St. Olaf. … SMU's loss to Marian on Dec. 10 marked the third straight game in which the Cardinals were held to one goal or less. … After scoring 18 goals in their first six games, the Cardinals have been held to seven goals in their last five games. … With their loss to Marian, the Cardinals are still searching for their first road win of the season (0-6-0). … Seven of SMU's eight losses have come against teams that have been nationally ranked. … Chase Marshall (Maple Grove, Minn.) scored the Cardinals' goal against Marian on Dec. 10. It was his second of the season. … SMU goalie Andy Scheib (Sun Prairie, Wis.) stopped all eight shots he faced against Marian, before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Scheib boasts a team-best 2.36 goals-against-average and a .932 save percentage. He posted a season-high 39 saves against Milwaukee School of Engineering on Dec. 3. The performance was just two saves shy of the sophomore's career-best 41-save effort against Gustavus on Feb. 19, 2010. … Kevin Wentland (Columbia Heights, Minn.) boasts a team-best five goals this season. SMU's leading scorer a year ago finished the Cardinals' 25-game schedule with five goals. … Eight SMU players have scored their first collegiate goals this season. … Wentland not only leads the team in goals, but also holds the team's points lead with 11. … Austin Balko's (Midland, Mich.) seven assists are tops on the team. … The Cardinals' 25 goals this season have come from 14 different players, while 17 players have at least one point. … Through 11 games, the Cardinals still do not have a player with a multiple-goal game. … The Cardinals are 3-3-0 when scoring first, but are winless (0-5-0) when their opponent scores first. … SMU netted its first shorthanded goal of the season vs. UW-Stout on Nov. 4. … With their 5-2 and 2-1 wins over Concordia on Nov. 12-13, the Cardinals posted their first conference sweep since beating the Cobbers twice (14-3, 7-2) during the 2007-2008 season. … The Cardinals' 2-0 start to the conference schedule was their first since opening the 2001-2002 MIAC season with back-to-back wins over Hamline (5-2, 5-2) | 2010-2011 Overall Statistics

UW-River Falls Falcons News and Notes:
The Falcons' Dec. 10 loss to UW-Stout — in which UW-RF could not hold a 3-1 third-period lead — snapped their two-game winning streak. … UW-River Falls has outscored its opponents 24-7 in its five wins, while the Falcons have been outscored just 20-10 in their six losses. … Three of UW-RF's six losses have been by one goal. … Alec Hageman enters tonight's game against Saint Mary's boasting a team-best eight goals. Hageman shares the team lead in points (12) with Justin Brossman, who, along with Josh Calleja, lead the team in assists with seven each. … The Falcons' 36 goals have come from 12 different players, while 21 of the 23 players who have played this season have recorded at least one point. … Scott Lewan has appeared in 11 of the team's 12 games in goal, compiling a 2.10 goals-against-average and a .935 save percentage. … The Falcons have outscored their opponents in all three periods, including a 9-5 advantage in the opening 20 minutes. … The Falcons are 4-3-1 when scoring first, but have one just once (1-3-1) when their opponent scores the game's first goal. … Tonight's game is the seventh home contest for UW-River Falls, which is 4-2-0 on its home ice this season | 2010-2011 Overall Statistics