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WINONA, Minn. — If the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team had any doubts as to how good sixth-ranked Gustavus was, they got a first-hand look Friday evening at the SMU Ice Arena.

The Gusties are good — very, very good.

Gustavus scored the game's first four goals and never looked back in handing the Cardinals an 8-2 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback.

“Give (Gustavus credit), they are an extremely talented team,” said SMU coach Terry Mannor of the visiting Gusties, who improved to 12-0-1 in conference play and 17-1-2 overall. “I thought at times we played right with them — they are just the type of team you can't afford to make any mistakes against.

“Every time you do (make a mistake), they make you pay.”

The Gusties scored the only goal of the first period on Grace Olson's second goal of the season, before getting back-to-back goals 21 seconds apart early in the second period to push their lead to 3-0. Amanda Cartony made it 4-0 at 6:59 of the second, before SMU finally got on the board on a goal by Brittany Therrien (Brooklyn Park,, Minn.) midway through the period.

GAC would add its fourth goal of the period at 18:01, and made it 6-1 three minutes into the third period. Breanna Peterson (Macomb, Mich.) cut the deficit to 6-2 with her sixth goal of the season, but the Gusties would answer with two more goals to seal the victory.

Sarah Gustafson (Esko, Minn.) finished with 35 saves for the Cardinals, while Danielle Justice kicked out 10 of SMU's 12 shots.

The Cardinals (3-7-3 MIAC, 6-10-4 overall) get another shot at the Gusties on Saturday, as they travel to St. Peter, Minn., for a 2 p.m. rematch with GAC at the Don Roberts Ice Arena.