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WINONA, Minn. — Including Friday's game against Bethel, the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team has played 24 games this season — one-third of which have gone into overtime.

And, thanks to Friday's 2-2 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tie, six have ended in a stalemate.

“That's the story of our season” SMU coach Terry Mannor said after the Cardinals recorded school-record tie No. 6 at the SMU Ice Arena. “We've had so many games that have gone into overtime — and so many that have ended in ties.

“We have gone into overtime in one-third of our season.”

The Cardinals held one-goal leads twice against the Royals Friday, getting a first-period goal from Sheree Haslemore (Gore, New Zealand) — one of six seniors honored before the game on Senior Night — for a 1-0 advantage, and then getting a third-period tally from Brittany Therrien (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) to take a 2-1 advantage five minutes into the third.

Each time SMU grabbed the lead, however, the Royals hand an answer.

Charise Kendrick knotted the game at 1-1 with her sixth of the season three minutes into the third period, and, two minutes after Therrien's third-period tally, Kallie Johnson scored her 11th of the season to knot the game at 2-2.

“We did a lot of good things out there tonight,” said Mannor. “We just couldn't quite get over that hump — we had our chances (late in the third period), but couldn't find the back of the net.”

Sarah Gustafson (Esko, Minn.) finished with 25 saves in goal for the Cardinals — including five in the five-minute overtime, when the sophomore goalie was at her best. Gustafson thwarted Biz Huss from point-blank range just a minute into the extra session, than made a sprawling save on what appeared to be a sure goal by Johnson late with less than two minutes remaining.

The Cardinals (3-9-5 MIAC, 6-12-6 overall) get one more shot at the Royals — who clinched an MIAC playoff berth with the 2-2 tie — on Saturday, as the same two teams travel to the Bethel Arena in Blaine, Minn., for a 4 p.m. conference contest.