Box Score  | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — Heading into Friday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown, the Saint Mary's University and St. Thomas men's hockey teams boasted two of the hottest goalies in the conference.

SMU's Andy Scheib (Sun Prairie, Wis.) had allowed just two goals in back-to-back Cardinal wins over then-league leading Bethel last weekend, while Drew Fielding allowed just one goal in the Tommies 1-0 overtime loss and 3-0 UST victory against Hamline.

And the two did not disappoint.

Scheib kicked out 38 St. Thomas shots, while Fielding stopped 29 SMU shots as the two teams skated to a 0-0 conference tie at the SMU Ice Arena.

“That was quite a game — a battle from start to finish,” said SMU coach Bill Moore. “I thought both teams played fairly well, we had a bit of a letdown in the second period — when we took all four of our penalties — but other than that, we were pretty solid.”

And so was Scheib.

The junior netminder — who earned his first collegiate shutout in helping SMU to its first 0-0 deadlock in program history — posted back-to-back 14-save efforts in the first and second periods, before adding six saves in the third period and four more in the five-minute overtime.

And while Scheib was doing his impersonation of a brick wall, Fielding was doing the same thing at the other end.

Fielding was at his best late in the second period, when he thwarted SMU's Mike Hill (Fort Worth, Texas) twice in a span of less than two minutes.

The SMU freshman was awarded a penalty shot — after being hauled down from behind on a breakaway with 1:59 remaining in the second period — only to have Fielding turn him away. Just over a minute later, Hill again broke down the right side and unleashed one of his patented high-powered slap shots that Fielding was able to get a blocker on to keep the game scoreless.

“It would have been nice to come away with the win, but that's still a big point (in the conference standings,” said Moore, whose team moves to 5-1-1 in conference play to remain two points back of the Tommies (6-2-1). “Now we've got to be able to bounce back — we are going to need to put together another effort like that (Saturday).”

The Cardinals and Tommies square off again on Saturday, as SMU travels to Mendota Heights, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. MIAC game against the Tommies at the St. Thomas Ice Arena.