WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team continues its quest for an MIAC playoff berth Saturday, hosting league-leading Gustavus in the second game of their two-game MIAC series. Puck drops at 2 p.m. at the SMU Ice Arena.





The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (8-4-3 MIAC / 12-8-3 Overall)
Gustavus Gusties (11-2-2 MIAC / 16-3-3 Overall)

GameDay Live On The Web:
Live Stats / Live Video / GameDay Program

Last Night:
Special teams weren't so special for the Cardinals Friday evening, as Gustavus scored three power play goals in handing the Cardinals a 4-2 MIAC setback at the Don Roberts Ice Arena in St. Peter, Minn.

A Year Ago:
January 16, 2010: SMU held the Gusties to a season-low one goal — a first-period tally by Tam Meuwissen. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that one goal was the game's only goa, as Gustavus escaped with a 1-0 nonconference victory at the Don Roberts Ice Arena in St. Peter, Minn.

February 19, 2010: Gustavus held off SMU's third-period charge for the 3-2 MIAC victory at the SMU Ice Arena.

February 20, 2010: The Cardinals' third one-goal game against the Gusties ended the same way as the previous two — with a loss — as Tam Meuwissen scored the game's only goal four minutes into the first period in lifting Gustavus to a 1-0 MIAC victory at the Don Roberts Ice Arena in St. Peter, Minn.

Up Next:
The Cardinals close out their regular-season schedule with a home-and-home series against St. Olaf next weekend. SMU hosts the Oles in a 7 p.m. contest on Friday, then travels to Northfield, Minn., for a 3 p.m. rematch vs. the Oles. … Gustavus, meanwhile, end their regular-season slate with two games against Augbsurg next weekend. GAC hosts the Auggies at the Don Roberts Ice Arena in St. Peter, Minn., on Friday, then travels to Minneapolis for Saturday's rematch.

Playoff Picture:
With three games remaining in the regular season, Gustavus (11-2-2) and St. Thomas (10-4-1) have locked up playoff berths, while Saint Mary's (8-4-3) is in third — one point in front of Bethel (8-5-2) and St. Olaf (8-5-2) and three points up on Concordia (7-6-2).

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
Friday's loss to league-leading Gustavus was just the second loss in the last six games for the Cardinals. … The 4-2 loss to GAC did, however, drop SMU to 1-4-3 in its eight Friday conference contests. … Nicole Olson (New Brighton, Minn.) and Brooke Bartelt (New Prague, Minn.) scored for the Cardinals against Gustauvs Friday. It was Olson's ninth goal of the season, and the second of the year for Bartelt. … Olson comes into today's rematch vs. GAC with team highs in assists (13) and points (22), whie Haley Coolsaet (Grosse Island, Mich.) — who assisted on both Cardinal goals on Friday — boasts a team-best 10 goals. … SMU has four players — Olson (22), Coolsaet (16), Erin Stenseth (Eau Claire, Wis. / 15) and Stevie Fiek (Rochester, Minn. / 11) — with 10 or more points. … Stenseth leads the team with three game-winning goals — including the OT game-winner in SMU's 2-1 victory over St. Thomas on Jan. 29. … Twenty-three of the Cardinals' 54 goals this season have come from freshmen. … Sarah Gustafson (Esko, Minn.) finished with 34 saves against Gustavus Friday night — including 18 in the third period — and enters today's rematch with GAC with a 1.83 goals-against-average and a .946 save percentage. … SMU has scored first in 12 of its 22 games, going 11-0-1. SMU is 0-8-2 when its opponent scores first. … The Cardinals opened the season with three straight wins. SMU's 3-0-0 start was its first since going 4-0-0 to open the 1999-2000 season — the program's second year of existence | 2010-2011 Overall Statistics

Gustavus Gusties News and Notes:
The Gusties, winners of nine MIAC regular-season titles — including the last six straight — and the last seven MIAC tournament crowns, are ranked No. 8 in the latest USCHO.com Poll. … With their win over Saint Mary's on Friday, the Gusties have now won four straight, five of their last six and are unbeaten in their last eight (6-0-2). Gustavus has not lost since a 2-1 setback at St. Catherine on Jan. 28. … Eleven of GAC's 22 games have been decided by one goal or less. … Two of Gustavus' last four games have gone into overtime — GAC tied Concordia 3-3 on Feb. 5, then beat Hamline 2-1 last Friday. … Amanda Cartony recorded her second straight two-goal game on Friday, scoring GAC's last two goals vs. the Cardinals. … Cartony has now scored six goals in her last four games. … Megan Wanacke and Melissa Doyle scored GAC's other two goals vs. SMU Friday. … Allie Schwab comes into today's game against Saint Mary's as the team-leader in goals with 12, while Lindsey Hjelm boasts team highs in assists (13) — including four in her last two games  — and points (22). … Gustauvs has seven players — Hjelm (21), Schwab (18), Lisa Tuuri (13), Cartony (12), Doyle (11), Kirstin Peterson (10) and Mollie Carroll (10) — with 10 or more points. … Danielle Justice kicked out nine of the 11 shots she faced vs. Saint Mary's Friday and enters today's game owning a 1.11 goals-against-average and a .940 save percentage. … The Gusties are unbeaten at home this season (9-0-3). GAC is 7-3-3 away from the Don Roberts Ice Arena. … Gustavus has outscored its opponents 67-23 — including 25-3 in the first period. … Gustavus is 15-2-1 when scoring first | 2010-2011 Overall Statistics