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WINONA, Minn. — If the Saint Mary's University men's hockey team wanted to make a statement in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener against Hamline Friday at the SMU Ice Arena, one thing is certain — the Pipers heard them loud and clear.

“Veterans Appreciation Night could not have gone any better,” said SMU coach Bill Moore. “The guys were pumped about the (special camouflage) jerseys and they just used that momentum right from the opening face-off.

“We played very well from start-to-finish,” Moore added. “Everyone in the lineup gave us something tonight — it was a great way to kick off the conference season.”

SMU scored early — and often — against Hamline, as the Cardinals erupted for five goals in the game's first 12 minutes en route to a 9-2 conference victory.

Ryan Griffiths (Arvada, Colo.) got the Cardinals on the board with his first of the season four minutes into the opening period — and by the time Austin Balko (Midland, Mich.) netted his second of the game seven minutes later, the Cardinals' lead was 5-0.

Balko tallied the Cardinals' fourth shorthanded goal of the season just 1:17 after Griffiths opening tally, and Mike Hill (Fort Worth, Texas), Nick Gualano (Prospect Heights, Ill.) and Balko followed with three goals in a 1:10 span to push that advantage heading into the locker room after the opening 20 minutes.

The Pipers foiled SMU goalie Andy Scheib's (Sun Prairie, Wis.) bid for a shutout 1:07 into the second period and sandwiched a pair of goals around a tally by SMU's Bobby Thompson (Centerville, Minn.) as the Cardinals headed to the third period with a four-goal, 6-2 advantage.

SMU closed out the rout with three third-period goals, as Hill netted his second of the game, while Andrew Ketterer (Peoria, Ill.) and Kevin Wentland (Columbia Heights, Minn.) rounded out the scoring.

Scheib finished with 19 saves in evening his record at 2-2-0 in goal for the Cardinals.

The same two teams will square off again on Saturday, as the Cardinals head to the Vadnais Heights Sports Center in Vadnais Heights, Minn., for a 7:15 p.m. conference rematch with the Pipers.