Box Score Box Score | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn.  — New day, new venue.

Unfortunately for the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team, same old result, as No. 12 St. Thomas handed the Cardinals their second straight 4-2 setback Saturday evening at the St. Thomas Ice Arena.

The Cardinals, who jumped out to a 2-0 lead — only to surrender four unanswered goals — in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Tommies Friday evening, wasted little time jumping out in front again Saturday, as Kevin Wentland (Columbia Heights, Minn.) scored an unassisted goal three minutes into the opening period.

UST answered two minutes later on Robbie Vannelli's second goal of the game at 5:29. The Tommies then grabbed the lead for good as Alex Alternbernd beat SMU goalie Jason Horstman (Faribault, Minn.) with a wrist shot with less than three minutes remaining in the period.

The Tommies pushed their lead to 3-1 on Brandon Bahnemann's goal at 7:25 of the second, but the two-goal lead didn't last long, as the Cardinals' Nick Nagel (Andover, Minn.) pushed his goal-scoring streak to five straight games with his sixth of the season just 19 seconds after Bahnemann's tally.

The game remaining 3-2 through most of the third period, with Bryce Walker closing out the scoring with an empty net tally with 12 seconds remaining in regulation.

After scoring four straight powerplay goals — two in a 2-2 tie vs. Bethel last Saturday and both in Friday's 4-2 loss to UST — SMU was 0-for-5 with the man advantage in Saturday's rematch.

Horstman finished with 22 saves for the Cardinals, while UST goalie Drew Fielding kicked out 21 of the 23 SMU shots he faced.

The Cardinals (1-6-1 MIAC, 4-12-1 overall) return to action next weekend, hosting Augsburg in a 7:30 p.m. conference contest at the SMU Ice Arena on Friday, then traveling to Minneapolis, Minn., for the rematch at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday.